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The differences between welders 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 and a welder helper. Additionally, a welder has an average salary of $39,696, which is higher than the $29,684 average annual salary of a welder helper.
The top three skills for a welder include arc welding, aluminum and hand tools. The most important skills for a welder helper are grind welds, MIG, and grinders.
| Welder | Welder Helper | |
| Yearly salary | $39,696 | $29,684 |
| Hourly rate | $19.08 | $14.27 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 9,463 | 21,605 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.25 | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 46% | High School Diploma, 60% |
| 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 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.
Welders and welder helpers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Welder | Welder Helper | |
| Average salary | $39,696 | $29,684 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $54,000 | Between $22,000 And $38,000 |
| Highest paying City | Woburn, MA | Bakersfield, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Wyoming |
| Best paying company | California Resources | Kiewit |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Construction |
There are a few differences between a welder and a welder helper in terms of educational background:
| Welder | Welder Helper | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 46% | High School Diploma, 60% |
| Most common major | Precision Metal Working | Precision Metal Working |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between welders' and welder helpers' demographics:
| Welder | Welder Helper | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.9% Female, 6.1% | Male, 92.1% Female, 7.9% |
| 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, 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% |