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The differences between welder apprentices and fabricators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a fabricator has an average salary of $34,922, which is higher than the $34,266 average annual salary of a welder apprentice.
The top three skills for a welder apprentice include MIG, hand tools and arc welding. The most important skills for a fabricator are hand tools, basic math, and calipers.
| Welder Apprentice | Fabricator | |
| Yearly salary | $34,266 | $34,922 |
| Hourly rate | $16.47 | $16.79 |
| Growth rate | 2% | -1% |
| Number of jobs | 14,044 | 7,772 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
A welder apprentice analyzes engineering specifications and engineering drawings to plan layout and assembly welding operations. Besides using rulers, calipers, combination squares, and straight edges to secure, position, and layout parts and assemblies as per the assignment specifications, welder apprentices also perform their duties based on established safety procedures and quality standards. They use arc welding, gas welding, electric welding, and other welding forms to weld and track-weld assemblies and different components. Moreover, a welder apprentice uses precision measuring instruments, calipers, and micrometers to find gap variance.
A fabricator specializes in manufacturing and assembling equipment or devices, ensuring every product's quality and efficiency. There are instances when a fabricator is required to make multiple gears, conduct verification processes on product schematics and specifications, perform quality control inspections, and test the product in different environments. Furthermore, a fabricator needs to coordinate with all workforce members to remain informed on any changes or updates in the production operations while adhering to the company's policies and safety standards.
Welder apprentices and fabricators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Welder Apprentice | Fabricator | |
| Average salary | $34,266 | $34,922 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $43,000 | Between $27,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Las Vegas, NV |
| Highest paying state | - | Nevada |
| Best paying company | - | Danaher |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a welder apprentice and a fabricator in terms of educational background:
| Welder Apprentice | Fabricator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Most common major | Precision Metal Working | Precision Metal Working |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between welder apprentices' and fabricators' demographics:
| Welder Apprentice | Fabricator | |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0% | Male, 89.8% Female, 10.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 2.7% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 8.1% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 5% |