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The differences between welders and carpenters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a welder, becoming a carpenter takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a carpenter has an average salary of $41,748, which is higher than the $39,696 average annual salary of a welder.
The top three skills for a welder include arc welding, aluminum and hand tools. The most important skills for a carpenter are hand tools, ladders, and install windows.
| Welder | Carpenter | |
| Yearly salary | $39,696 | $41,748 |
| Hourly rate | $19.08 | $20.07 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 9,463 | 5,862 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.25 | 4.86 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 46% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
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.
A carpenter is a skilled worker responsible for different areas of construction. Carpenters perform fabrication from raw materials. They use tools to create a successful finished product on their client's request. Carpenters must be able to multi-task, resolve any possible complications, strictly follow safety standards, and ensure that the project adheres to protocols without compromising quality and accuracy of work. Since carpentry is physical labor, carpenters are expected to be physically fit to accomplish various maintenance and production tasks.
Welders and carpenters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Welder | Carpenter | |
| Average salary | $39,696 | $41,748 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $54,000 | Between $31,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | Woburn, MA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | California Resources | Argonne National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Construction |
There are a few differences between a welder and a carpenter in terms of educational background:
| Welder | Carpenter | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 46% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Precision Metal Working | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between welders' and carpenters' demographics:
| Welder | Carpenter | |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.9% Female, 6.1% | Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 23.3% Asian, 1.6% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 2% |