Polishing machine operator vs welder-machine operator

The differences between polishing machine operators and welder-machine operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a polishing machine operator, becoming a welder-machine operator takes usually requires 3-6 months. Additionally, a welder-machine operator has an average salary of $37,171, which is higher than the $33,810 average annual salary of a polishing machine operator.

The top three skills for a polishing machine operator include safety policies, grinding wheels and machine operation. The most important skills for a welder-machine operator are arc welding, safety equipment, and stainless steel.

Polishing machine operator vs welder-machine operator overview

	Polishing Machine Operator	Welder-Machine Operator
Yearly salary	$33,810	$37,171
Hourly rate	$16.25	$17.87
Growth rate	-8%	-5%
Number of jobs	58,159	68,316
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 53%
Average age	43	40
Years of experience	2	6

Polishing machine operator vs welder-machine operator salary

Polishing machine operators and welder-machine operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Polishing Machine Operator	Welder-Machine Operator
Average salary	$33,810	$37,171
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $43,000	Between $27,000 And $49,000
Highest paying City	-	Fontana, CA
Highest paying state	-	Nevada
Best paying company	-	BWX Technologies
Best paying industry	-	Technology

Differences between polishing machine operator and welder-machine operator education

There are a few differences between a polishing machine operator and a welder-machine operator in terms of educational background:

	Polishing Machine Operator	Welder-Machine Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 53%
Most common major	Business	Precision Metal Working
Most common college	-	Dunwoody College of Technology

Polishing machine operator vs welder-machine operator demographics

Here are the differences between polishing machine operators' and welder-machine operators' demographics:

	Polishing Machine Operator	Welder-Machine Operator
Average age	43	40
Gender ratio	Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1%	Male, 84.6% Female, 15.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 6.0% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
LGBT Percentage	6%	3%

Differences between polishing machine operator and welder-machine operator duties and responsibilities

Polishing machine operator example responsibilities.

Record statistics on ISO documentation, and coordinate with machine technicians and electrical technicians to keep machines operating at maximum efficiency.
Participate in technical support and assist validation and QA department during equipment validation.

Welder-machine operator example responsibilities.

Weld required parts using GMAW, GTAW, and SMAW.
Require to weld a wide veriety of assemblies, fabricate parts and maintain equipment and fixtures employing GMAW and GTAW techniques.
Operate the welding robots and do rework with the MIG welder.
Weld both steel and aluminum pressure tanks for both train and truck air brake systems.
Dismantle metal assemblies and cut scrap metal, using thermal-cutting equipment such as flame-cutting torches or plasma-arc equipment.
Position, align, fit, and weld together parts, using jigs, welding torch, and hand tools.

Polishing machine operator vs welder-machine operator skills

Common polishing machine operator skills

Safety Policies, 41%
Grinding Wheels, 18%
Machine Operation, 16%
Safety Standards, 11%
Stainless Steel, 6%
Load Trucks, 3%

Common welder-machine operator skills

Arc Welding, 7%
Safety Equipment, 7%
Stainless Steel, 6%
CNC, 6%
Tig Welding, 5%
Tape Measure, 5%

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Polishing Machine Operator
Polishing Machine Operator vs Welder-Machine Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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