Steel welder vs pipe welder

The differences between steel welders and pipe welders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a steel welder and a pipe welder. Additionally, a pipe welder has an average salary of $46,364, which is higher than the $36,139 average annual salary of a steel welder.

The top three skills for a steel welder include MIG, arc welding and aluminum. The most important skills for a pipe welder are carbon steel, MIG, and hand tools.

Steel welder vs pipe welder overview

	Steel Welder	Pipe Welder
Yearly salary	$36,139	$46,364
Hourly rate	$17.37	$22.29
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	7,242	7,738
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 42%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

Steel welder vs pipe welder salary

Steel welders and pipe welders have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Steel Welder	Pipe Welder
Average salary	$36,139	$46,364
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $46,000	Between $33,000 And $63,000
Highest paying City	Bremerton, WA	North Kingstown, RI
Highest paying state	Wyoming	Alaska
Best paying company	GPAC	Forum Energy Technologies
Best paying industry	Automotive	Construction

Differences between steel welder and pipe welder education

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

	Steel Welder	Pipe Welder
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 42%
Most common major	Precision Metal Working	Precision Metal Working
Most common college	-	-

Steel welder vs pipe welder demographics

Here are the differences between steel welders' and pipe welders' demographics:

	Steel Welder	Pipe Welder
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 96.0% Female, 4.0%	Male, 96.0% Female, 4.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 2.9% White, 64.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%	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%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between steel welder and pipe welder duties and responsibilities

Steel welder example responsibilities.

Manage and run production parts through the brake.
Gas cutting, brazing, layout work, blueprint reading.
Operate brake press, drill press, and punch press in order to efficiently bend steel & aluminum.
Perform MIG and stick welds and erecting structural steel utilize for building skeletons including specific/ detail measurements for accuracy.
Blue print reading for all WPS orders.

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.

Steel welder vs pipe welder skills

Common steel welder skills

MIG, 15%
Arc Welding, 10%
Aluminum, 9%
GMAW, 6%
FCAW, 6%
Hand Tools, 6%

Common pipe welder skills

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