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The differences between welder fitters and pipe 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 fitter and a pipe welder. Additionally, a pipe welder has an average salary of $46,364, which is higher than the $39,676 average annual salary of a welder fitter.
The top three skills for a welder fitter include MIG, hand tools and arc welding. The most important skills for a pipe welder are carbon steel, MIG, and hand tools.
| Welder Fitter | Pipe Welder | |
| Yearly salary | $39,676 | $46,364 |
| Hourly rate | $19.07 | $22.29 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 8,022 | 7,738 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 43% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Welder Fitter specializes in manipulating steel, aluminum, and other materials into various industries' structural forms. The majority of a welder's responsibilities are mostly manual work, which can have risks as they use torches or lasers for their daily tasks, and there are also instances when they have to climb high structures. Furthermore, a Welder Fitter must have keen attention to detail and communication skills as they must coordinate with fellow workers most of the time.
According to schematics and analyzing specifications, a pipe welder is responsible for maintaining and repairing pipe systems and components. Pipe welders inspect the quality of the materials, assemble tools for welding preparations, ensure the safety of the welding method and structural units, and strictly adhere to safety operations procedures. They also examine finished welds to identify any defects and perform adjustments as needed. A pipe welder must have a broad knowledge of the mechanical industry to operate machinery and construct a safe piping system.
Welder fitters and pipe welders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Welder Fitter | Pipe Welder | |
| Average salary | $39,676 | $46,364 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $55,000 | Between $33,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vancouver, WA | North Kingstown, RI |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Jefferson Lab | Forum Energy Technologies |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Construction |
There are a few differences between a welder fitter and a pipe welder in terms of educational background:
| Welder Fitter | Pipe Welder | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 43% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Precision Metal Working | Precision Metal Working |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between welder fitters' and pipe welders' demographics:
| Welder Fitter | Pipe Welder | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.1% Female, 4.9% | Male, 96.0% Female, 4.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 2.7% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |