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The differences between welder apprentices and welder helpers 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 helper. Additionally, a welder apprentice has an average salary of $34,266, which is higher than the $29,684 average annual salary of a welder helper.
The top three skills for a welder apprentice include MIG, hand tools and arc welding. The most important skills for a welder helper are grind welds, MIG, and grinders.
| Welder Apprentice | Welder Helper | |
| Yearly salary | $34,266 | $29,684 |
| Hourly rate | $16.47 | $14.27 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 14,044 | 21,605 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 60% |
| 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.
A welder helper's role is to perform support tasks for lead welders at a construction site or similar setting. Their responsibilities primarily revolve around setting up and preparing rigs, operating devices and tools, maintaining the workspace's cleanliness, and following orders from lead welders. There may also be instances where a welder helper must pre-heat materials, lift heavy objects, participate in loading and unloading packages, and ensure that the welders are equipped with the necessary tools. Furthermore, it is essential to coordinate with managers and adhere to the site's safety regulations and policies.
Welder apprentices and welder helpers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Welder Apprentice | Welder Helper | |
| Average salary | $34,266 | $29,684 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $43,000 | Between $22,000 And $38,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Bakersfield, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Wyoming |
| Best paying company | - | Kiewit |
| Best paying industry | - | Construction |
There are a few differences between a welder apprentice and a welder helper in terms of educational background:
| Welder Apprentice | Welder Helper | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 60% |
| Most common major | Precision Metal Working | Precision Metal Working |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between welder apprentices' and welder helpers' demographics:
| Welder Apprentice | Welder Helper | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0% | Male, 92.1% Female, 7.9% |
| 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, 8.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 26.0% Asian, 2.5% White, 57.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |