Tank welder vs welder operator

The differences between tank 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 tank welder and a welder operator. Additionally, a tank welder has an average salary of $35,819, which is higher than the $31,669 average annual salary of a welder operator.

The top three skills for a tank welder include tig welding, carbon steel and ground storage tanks. The most important skills for a welder operator are MIG, arc welding, and hand tools.

Tank welder vs welder operator overview

	Tank Welder	Welder Operator
Yearly salary	$35,819	$31,669
Hourly rate	$17.22	$15.23
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	11,165	51,229
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 50%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

Tank welder vs welder operator salary

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

	Tank Welder	Welder Operator
Average salary	$35,819	$31,669
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $50,000	Between $25,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	-	Chicopee, MA
Highest paying state	-	Wyoming
Best paying company	-	Capco
Best paying industry	-	Automotive

Differences between tank welder and welder operator education

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

	Tank Welder	Welder Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 50%
Most common major	Precision Metal Working	Precision Metal Working
Most common college	-	-

Tank welder vs welder operator demographics

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

	Tank Welder	Welder Operator
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2%	Male, 85.6% Female, 14.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 21.3% Asian, 2.7% White, 60.0% 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 tank welder and welder operator duties and responsibilities

Tank welder example responsibilities.

Manage and run production parts through the brake.
Fit and weld storage tanks, stacks using see, fcaw, & Gmaw processes
Weld tanks using GMAW process ensuring no leaks in weldments.
Rig and install boiler sections and associate pumps and equipment.
Maintain PPE, proper safety policy, and procedures and keep.
Rig material to be hoist by crane and set into place.

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.

Tank welder vs welder operator skills

Common tank welder skills

Tig Welding, 12%
Carbon Steel, 10%
Ground Storage Tanks, 9%
Cranes, 9%
Arc Welding, 8%
Stainless Steel, 8%

Common welder operator skills

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