Sub arc operator vs certified maintenance welder

The differences between sub arc operators and certified maintenance welders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a sub arc operator and a certified maintenance welder. Additionally, a sub arc operator has an average salary of $110,869, which is higher than the $52,201 average annual salary of a certified maintenance welder.

The top three skills for a sub arc operator include arc welding, MIG and aluminum. The most important skills for a certified maintenance welder are MIG, mechanical equipment, and TIG.

Sub arc operator vs certified maintenance welder overview

	Sub Arc Operator	Certified Maintenance Welder
Yearly salary	$110,869	$52,201
Hourly rate	$53.30	$25.10
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	30,270	93,052
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 30%	Associate Degree, 42%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	2	2

Sub arc operator vs certified maintenance welder salary

Sub arc operators and certified maintenance welders have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Sub Arc Operator	Certified Maintenance Welder
Average salary	$110,869	$52,201
Salary range	Between $66,000 And $183,000	Between $40,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between sub arc operator and certified maintenance welder education

There are a few differences between a sub arc operator and a certified maintenance welder in terms of educational background:

	Sub Arc Operator	Certified Maintenance Welder
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 30%	Associate Degree, 42%
Most common major	Precision Metal Working	Education
Most common college	-	-

Sub arc operator vs certified maintenance welder demographics

Here are the differences between sub arc operators' and certified maintenance welders' demographics:

	Sub Arc Operator	Certified Maintenance Welder
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 88.6% Female, 11.4%	Male, 95.0% Female, 5.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 21.7% Asian, 2.6% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%	Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 2.3% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between sub arc operator and certified maintenance welder duties and responsibilities

Sub arc operator example responsibilities.

Manage aluminum structural/pipe fabrication turnaround: cross-country CGIT/IPB megawatt electrical power conductors.
Certify in ceramic tape welding, mig process, aluminum welding, stainless steel , 7018 and 6010 stick welding
Fuse metal segments, using submerge arc welding.
Perform preventive maintenance, electronic robotic operation, pneumatic system operation, and initial quality control.
Melt scrap metal to liquefy then transfer from furnace to ladle and prepare for transport by crane to next processing department.
Operate sub arc welder to exacting specs (ie crankshaft stroking )

Certified maintenance welder example responsibilities.

Maintain air compressors, HVAC systems, electrical and pneumatic systems throughout plant.
Shield metal arc welding, Oxy-acetylene welding and cutting, gas metal, flux core, submerge and plasma.
Use trade procedures such as brazing, soldering, flame and arc-cutting, surface hardening, annealing and metal spraying.
Perform MIG and stick welds and erecting structural steel utilize for building skeletons including specific/ detail measurements for accuracy.
Perform MIG and stick welds and erecting structural steel utilize for building skeletons including specific/ detail measurements for accuracy.

Sub arc operator vs certified maintenance welder skills

Common sub arc operator skills

Arc Welding, 48%
MIG, 29%
Aluminum, 23%

Common certified maintenance welder skills

MIG, 38%
Mechanical Equipment, 35%
TIG, 14%
Stainless Steel, 12%

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Sub Arc Operator vs Certified Maintenance Welder

Updated January 8, 2025

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