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The differences between welder apprentices and welders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a welder apprentice and a welder. Additionally, a welder has an average salary of $39,696, 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 welder are arc welding, aluminum, and hand tools.
| Welder Apprentice | Welder | |
| Yearly salary | $34,266 | $39,696 |
| Hourly rate | $16.47 | $19.08 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 14,044 | 9,463 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.25 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 46% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 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.
Welders are skilled workers who primarily work on metals and other metalworks. One of the most commonly known activities that welders do is fusing materials that are made of metal. They usually work on buildings, large pipes, and cars. They also fix holes or any other imperfection on metal materials. They do these by applying heat using welding torches or any other special tools that they have. Welders are also responsible for studying blueprints related to the items they will work on, ensuring that all needed materials are available, practicing occupational safety and health protocols, and maintaining the welding tools they use.
Welder apprentices and welders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Welder Apprentice | Welder | |
| Average salary | $34,266 | $39,696 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $43,000 | Between $29,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Woburn, MA |
| Highest paying state | - | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | - | California Resources |
| Best paying industry | - | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a welder apprentice and a welder in terms of educational background:
| Welder Apprentice | Welder | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 46% |
| Most common major | Precision Metal Working | Precision Metal Working |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between welder apprentices' and welders' demographics:
| Welder Apprentice | Welder | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0% | Male, 93.9% Female, 6.1% |
| 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, 10.0% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 3.0% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |