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The differences between welders and tig 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 and a tig welder. Additionally, a welder has an average salary of $39,696, which is higher than the $38,192 average annual salary of a tig welder.
The top three skills for a welder include arc welding, aluminum and hand tools. The most important skills for a tig welder are tig welding, carbon steel, and GTAW.
| Welder | TIG Welder | |
| Yearly salary | $39,696 | $38,192 |
| Hourly rate | $19.08 | $18.36 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 9,463 | 7,053 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.25 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 46% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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 tungsten inert gas (TIG) welder is someone who assembles and welds metal parts for use in manufacturing or construction projects. The duties and responsibilities of a TIG welder include ensuring the quality of metal parts before assembling them, reading and interpreting blueprints, and observing safety procedures. The requirements to qualify for the position include knowledge of metallurgy, good hand-eye coordination, and good mathematical skills. A high school diploma or General Education Development (GED) certification is the minimum education requirement for the job.
Welders and tig welders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Welder | TIG Welder | |
| Average salary | $39,696 | $38,192 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $54,000 | Between $29,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | Woburn, MA | Tualatin, OR |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Wyoming |
| Best paying company | California Resources | Alfa Laval |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Retail |
There are a few differences between a welder and a tig welder in terms of educational background:
| Welder | TIG Welder | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 46% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Precision Metal Working | Precision Metal Working |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between welders' and tig welders' demographics:
| Welder | TIG Welder | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.9% Female, 6.1% | Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7% |
| 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, 9.7% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 2.9% White, 63.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |