Pipe welder vs welder-assembler

The differences between pipe welders and welder-assemblers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a pipe welder and a welder-assembler. Additionally, a pipe welder has an average salary of $46,364, which is higher than the $33,580 average annual salary of a welder-assembler.

The top three skills for a pipe welder include carbon steel, MIG and hand tools. The most important skills for a welder-assembler are MIG, blueprint specifications, and aluminum.

Pipe welder vs welder-assembler overview

	Pipe Welder	Welder-Assembler
Yearly salary	$46,364	$33,580
Hourly rate	$22.29	$16.14
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	7,738	26,070
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 42%	High School Diploma, 48%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

Pipe welder vs welder-assembler salary

Pipe welders and welder-assemblers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Pipe Welder	Welder-Assembler
Average salary	$46,364	$33,580
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $63,000	Between $26,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	North Kingstown, RI	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	Forum Energy Technologies	-
Best paying industry	Construction	-

Differences between pipe welder and welder-assembler education

There are a few differences between a pipe welder and a welder-assembler in terms of educational background:

	Pipe Welder	Welder-Assembler
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 42%	High School Diploma, 48%
Most common major	Precision Metal Working	Precision Metal Working
Most common college	-	-

Pipe welder vs welder-assembler demographics

Here are the differences between pipe welders' and welder-assemblers' demographics:

	Pipe Welder	Welder-Assembler
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 96.0% Female, 4.0%	Male, 86.9% Female, 13.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 2.7% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%	Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 2.7% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between pipe welder and welder-assembler duties and responsibilities

Pipe welder example responsibilities.

Silver solder, TIG, SMAW, GMAW, FCAW weld mild steel stainless steel aluminum and copper nickel respectively.
Weld carbon and stainless steel pipe in position and roll out machines utilizing GTAW, GMAW, FCAW and SMAW processes.
Skil in all types of welding, including MIG, TIG, stick, aluminum and stainless steel.
Work with TIG and MIG welding systems, as well as forklifts and overhead cranes up to 30 tons.
Work safely under OSHA safety and PPE standards.
Used aluminum GMAW for structural supports and some larger fabrications.

Welder-assembler example responsibilities.

Manage and run production parts through the brake.
Perform welding duties with GMAW, to weld shoot beads on mild steel.
Start on CNC machine operator, to head welding/assembly.
Operate welding machines, soldering machines and brazing machines.
Weld aircraft parts, inspect parts, assemble parts for furnace brazing.
Cut various pieces out of stock using band saws, torches, and plasma cutters.

Pipe welder vs welder-assembler skills

Common pipe welder skills

Carbon Steel, 16%
MIG, 10%
Hand Tools, 8%
TIG, 6%
SMAW, 6%
GTAW, 6%

Common welder-assembler skills

MIG, 17%
Blueprint Specifications, 7%
Aluminum, 7%
Stainless Steel, 6%
Safety Equipment, 5%
Tig Welding, 4%