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The differences between welder fitters 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 fitter and a welder helper. Additionally, a welder fitter has an average salary of $39,676, which is higher than the $29,684 average annual salary of a welder helper.
The top three skills for a welder fitter include MIG, hand tools and arc welding. The most important skills for a welder helper are grind welds, MIG, and grinders.
| Welder Fitter | Welder Helper | |
| Yearly salary | $39,676 | $29,684 |
| Hourly rate | $19.07 | $14.27 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 8,022 | 21,605 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 43% | High School Diploma, 60% |
| 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.
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 fitters and welder helpers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Welder Fitter | Welder Helper | |
| Average salary | $39,676 | $29,684 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $55,000 | Between $22,000 And $38,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vancouver, WA | Bakersfield, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Wyoming |
| Best paying company | Jefferson Lab | Kiewit |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Construction |
There are a few differences between a welder fitter and a welder helper in terms of educational background:
| Welder Fitter | Welder Helper | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 43% | High School Diploma, 60% |
| Most common major | Precision Metal Working | Precision Metal Working |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between welder fitters' and welder helpers' demographics:
| Welder Fitter | Welder Helper | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.1% Female, 4.9% | Male, 92.1% Female, 7.9% |
| 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, 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% |