Plastics fabricator vs metal fabricator

The differences between plastics fabricators and metal fabricators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a metal fabricator has an average salary of $38,047, which is higher than the $33,585 average annual salary of a plastics fabricator.

The top three skills for a plastics fabricator include extrusion, hand tools and fiberglass. The most important skills for a metal fabricator are MIG, hand tools, and aluminum.

Plastics fabricator vs metal fabricator overview

	Plastics Fabricator	Metal Fabricator
Yearly salary	$33,585	$38,047
Hourly rate	$16.15	$18.29
Growth rate	-11%	-6%
Number of jobs	2,028	4,868
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	High School Diploma, 46%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	-	-

Plastics fabricator vs metal fabricator salary

Plastics fabricators and metal fabricators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Plastics Fabricator	Metal Fabricator
Average salary	$33,585	$38,047
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $43,000	Between $29,000 And $48,000
Highest paying City	Chaska, MN	Clifton, NJ
Highest paying state	North Dakota	Nevada
Best paying company	Graco	Halliburton
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Automotive

Differences between plastics fabricator and metal fabricator education

There are a few differences between a plastics fabricator and a metal fabricator in terms of educational background:

	Plastics Fabricator	Metal Fabricator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	High School Diploma, 46%
Most common major	Business	Precision Metal Working
Most common college	-	-

Plastics fabricator vs metal fabricator demographics

Here are the differences between plastics fabricators' and metal fabricators' demographics:

	Plastics Fabricator	Metal Fabricator
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 84.1% Female, 15.9%	Male, 94.1% Female, 5.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 8.6% White, 60.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 8.1% White, 58.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between plastics fabricator and metal fabricator duties and responsibilities

Plastics fabricator example responsibilities.

Fabricate fiberglass piping, use tape measure, see, forklifts.
Assist with wet layup fiberglass repair as well as resin infusion projects to restore composite components on naval vessels.
Glass glazing/commercial aluminum window panel fabrication
Install thermal plastic parts into tools for bond in autoclaves.
Glass glazing/commercial aluminum window panel fabrication

Metal fabricator example responsibilities.

Examine surface of metal to detect defects, such as dents, scratches, or breaks in metal.
Operate band see, chop see, MIG welder, stick welder, and grinders to cut to specifications.
Design and construct jigs, templates, and fixtures.
Test and troubleshoot electrical systems prior to shipment of modules.
Fabricate and erect structural, ornamental, and misc steel.
Apply knowledge of shop mathematics, metal properties, and layouts.

Plastics fabricator vs metal fabricator skills

Common plastics fabricator skills

Extrusion, 37%
Hand Tools, 20%
Fiberglass, 13%
Customer Service, 4%
PVC, 4%
Sketch, 3%

Common metal fabricator skills

MIG, 9%
Hand Tools, 8%
Aluminum, 6%
Press Brake, 6%
Drill Press, 5%
Tape Measure, 5%