Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between steel welders and welder-machine operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a steel welder, 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 $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 welder-machine operator are arc welding, safety equipment, and stainless steel.
| Steel Welder | Welder-Machine Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $36,139 | $37,171 |
| Hourly rate | $17.37 | $17.87 |
| Growth rate | 2% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 7,242 | 68,316 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 45% | High School Diploma, 53% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
Steel welders and welder-machine operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Steel Welder | Welder-Machine Operator | |
| Average salary | $36,139 | $37,171 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $46,000 | Between $27,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bremerton, WA | Fontana, CA |
| Highest paying state | Wyoming | Nevada |
| Best paying company | GPAC | BWX Technologies |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a steel welder and a welder-machine operator in terms of educational background:
| Steel Welder | Welder-Machine Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 45% | High School Diploma, 53% |
| Most common major | Precision Metal Working | Precision Metal Working |
| Most common college | - | Dunwoody College of Technology |
Here are the differences between steel welders' and welder-machine operators' demographics:
| Steel Welder | Welder-Machine Operator | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.0% Female, 4.0% | Male, 84.6% Female, 15.4% |
| 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, 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 | 3% | 3% |