Welder vs welder operator

The differences between welders and welder operators 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 operator. Additionally, a welder has an average salary of $39,696, which is higher than the $31,669 average annual salary of a welder operator.

The top three skills for a welder include arc welding, aluminum and hand tools. The most important skills for a welder operator are MIG, arc welding, and hand tools.

Welder vs welder operator overview

	Welder	Welder Operator
Yearly salary	$39,696	$31,669
Hourly rate	$19.08	$15.23
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	9,463	51,229
Job satisfaction	4.25	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	High School Diploma, 50%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

Welder vs welder operator salary

Welders and welder operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Welder	Welder Operator
Average salary	$39,696	$31,669
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $54,000	Between $25,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	Woburn, MA	Chicopee, MA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Wyoming
Best paying company	California Resources	Capco
Best paying industry	Automotive	Automotive

Differences between welder and welder operator education

There are a few differences between a welder and a welder operator in terms of educational background:

	Welder	Welder Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	High School Diploma, 50%
Most common major	Precision Metal Working	Precision Metal Working
Most common college	-	-

Welder vs welder operator demographics

Here are the differences between welders' and welder operators' demographics:

	Welder	Welder Operator
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 93.9% Female, 6.1%	Male, 85.6% Female, 14.4%
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, 10.6% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 2.8% White, 63.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between welder and welder operator duties and responsibilities

Welder example responsibilities.

Manage and run production parts through the brake.
Weld with oxyacetylene, MIG, and brazing all kind of materials like bronze, platinum, aluminum, and flux.
Experience TIG, plasma cutting, brazing, torch cutting, shears press, bending and manipulating heated metal.
Fabricate and weld car carrier trailers using MIG welding method, used overhead cranes to lift weld pieces up.
Fabricate and weld the steel reinforcement and forms according to print on a vibratory bed using MIG and GMAW welding.
Experience welding pipe ranging from 2"up to 72"pressure vessels using the GMAW and FCAW welding process.

Welder operator example responsibilities.

Manage aluminum structural/pipe fabrication turnaround: cross-country CGIT/IPB megawatt electrical power conductors.
Weld carbon steel pipes using GTAW and SMAW.
Weld with (GMAW) on aluminum.
Maintain certifications in SMAW, GMAW, and GTAW.
Perform TIG and MIG welding processes on fabrications according to the blueprints specifications.
Weld heavy industrial clamps together using the MIG and TIG process on AR400 grade steel.

Welder vs welder operator skills

Common welder skills

Arc Welding, 8%
Aluminum, 7%
Hand Tools, 7%
Tig Welding, 6%
Stainless Steel, 5%
GMAW, 5%

Common welder operator skills

MIG, 12%
Arc Welding, 9%
Hand Tools, 8%
Safety Equipment, 7%
Tig Welding, 6%
GMAW, 5%