Structural welder vs welder operator

The differences between structural welders and welder operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a structural welder and a welder operator. Additionally, a structural welder has an average salary of $42,868, which is higher than the $31,669 average annual salary of a welder operator.

The top three skills for a structural welder include SMAW, FCAW and MIG. The most important skills for a welder operator are MIG, arc welding, and hand tools.

Structural welder vs welder operator overview

	Structural Welder	Welder Operator
Yearly salary	$42,868	$31,669
Hourly rate	$20.61	$15.23
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	9,651	51,229
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	High School Diploma, 50%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

Structural welder vs welder operator salary

Structural welders and welder operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Structural Welder	Welder Operator
Average salary	$42,868	$31,669
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $58,000	Between $25,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	Philadelphia, PA	Chicopee, MA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Wyoming
Best paying company	Turner Construction	Capco
Best paying industry	Construction	Automotive

Differences between structural welder and welder operator education

There are a few differences between a structural welder and a welder operator in terms of educational background:

	Structural Welder	Welder Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	High School Diploma, 50%
Most common major	Precision Metal Working	Precision Metal Working
Most common college	-	-

Structural welder vs welder operator demographics

Here are the differences between structural welders' and welder operators' demographics:

	Structural Welder	Welder Operator
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 94.9% Female, 5.1%	Male, 85.6% Female, 14.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 22.1% Asian, 2.6% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 2.8% White, 63.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between structural welder and welder operator duties and responsibilities

Structural welder example responsibilities.

Manage and run production parts through the brake.
Fabricate and assemble small parts and components with the GMAW, SMAW, FCAW and aluminum weld process.
Bound structural as well as nonstructural parts by means of welding according to drawings using MIG and TIG welding of steel.
Weld, and fabricate pressure vessels using GMAW process.
Fix various stock trailers and other equipment that come in for repairs using FCAW, and GMAW.
Weld separately or in combination using aluminum, stainless steel, cast iron, and other alloys.

Welder operator example responsibilities.

Manage aluminum structural/pipe fabrication turnaround: cross-country CGIT/IPB megawatt electrical power conductors.
Weld carbon steel pipes using GTAW and SMAW.
Weld with (GMAW) on aluminum.
Maintain certifications in SMAW, GMAW, and GTAW.
Perform TIG and MIG welding processes on fabrications according to the blueprints specifications.
Weld heavy industrial clamps together using the MIG and TIG process on AR400 grade steel.

Structural welder vs welder operator skills

Common structural welder skills

SMAW, 9%
FCAW, 8%
MIG, 8%
Arc Welding, 8%
GMAW, 6%
Hand Tools, 5%

Common welder operator skills

MIG, 12%
Arc Welding, 9%
Hand Tools, 8%
Safety Equipment, 7%
Tig Welding, 6%
GMAW, 5%