Second class welder vs welder helper

The differences between second class welders and welder helpers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a second class welder and a welder helper. Additionally, a second class welder has an average salary of $45,861, which is higher than the $29,684 average annual salary of a welder helper.

The top three skills for a second class welder include tig welding, MIG and TIG. The most important skills for a welder helper are grind welds, MIG, and grinders.

Second class welder vs welder helper overview

	Second Class Welder	Welder Helper
Yearly salary	$45,861	$29,684
Hourly rate	$22.05	$14.27
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	35,166	21,605
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	High School Diploma, 60%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

Second class welder vs welder helper salary

Second class welders and welder helpers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Second Class Welder	Welder Helper
Average salary	$45,861	$29,684
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $62,000	Between $22,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	-	Bakersfield, CA
Highest paying state	-	Wyoming
Best paying company	-	Kiewit
Best paying industry	-	Construction

Differences between second class welder and welder helper education

There are a few differences between a second class welder and a welder helper in terms of educational background:

	Second Class Welder	Welder Helper
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	High School Diploma, 60%
Most common major	Precision Metal Working	Precision Metal Working
Most common college	-	-

Second class welder vs welder helper demographics

Here are the differences between second class welders' and welder helpers' demographics:

	Second Class Welder	Welder Helper
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 80.9% Female, 19.1%	Male, 92.1% Female, 7.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%	Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 26.0% Asian, 2.5% White, 57.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between second class welder and welder helper duties and responsibilities

Second class welder example responsibilities.

Read blueprints and build sections of the JHSV and LCS from those blueprints.
Learned to weld using torches, gouging aluminum welding & steel welding.
Receive training in safety protection, such as use of respirators, confine spaces, condo and scissor lifts.
Maintain individual and subordinates combat readiness.
Repair and maintain equipment critical to combat operations and damage control.
Perform MIG and stick welds and erecting structural steel utilize for building skeletons including specific/ detail measurements for accuracy.

Welder helper example responsibilities.

Manage and run production parts through the brake.
Weld structural material including carbon steel and stainless steel using SMAW, and MIG processes.
Perform welder duties using SMAW, PAC, GMAW, oxy-fuel cutting, and GTAW processes.
Work on vessels welding using SMAW and FCAW
Can also Tig weld and use the process FCAW
Perform welder helper duties using electric, oxyacetylene, MIG and TIG welding processes.

Second class welder vs welder helper skills

Common second class welder skills

Tig Welding, 58%
MIG, 19%
TIG, 19%
Combat, 4%

Common welder helper skills

Grind Welds, 10%
MIG, 9%
Grinders, 9%
Safety Equipment, 7%
Arc Welding, 7%
GMAW, 6%