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What is a welder/machinist and how to become one
In a broad sense, a welder is someone, either professional or amateur, who uses welding equipment to join metals or thermoplastics together. A welder needs to set up components for welding according to standard specifications while following safety rules and regulations. Welding involves reading and comprehending construction drawings and specifications.
You will also produce construction drawings and specifications. Not only that, but you will do this while analyzing the speed and length of the welding arc for all welding processes. You are to ensure that weld joints are clean, smooth, and look professional. However, you cannot do any of this without a good knowledge of welding and metal properties.
Therefore, if you want to become a sought-after welder, you must have experience with specialized types of welding equipment and procedures. Knowledge of safe use of welding equipment must be a strong suit of yours. Thankfully, a high school diploma and technical training on blueprint reading will be enough to get you there. On average, you can expect to make $38,000 per year or $18 per hour on the job.
Avg. Salary $38,338
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 1%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.53%
Asian 6.72%
Black or African American 4.49%
Hispanic or Latino 13.86%
Unknown 3.75%
White 70.65%
Genderfemale 5.23%
male 94.77%
Age - 49American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 49Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is intermediate
7 - challenging
Work life balance is good
6.4 - fair
Welder/machinist career paths
Key steps to become a welder/machinist
Explore welder/machinist education requirements
Start to develop specific welder/machinist skills
Skills Percentages Manual Lathes 9.35% Hand Tools 7.66% CNC Machines 6.48% Blueprint Specifications 5.76% Arc Welding 5.14% Complete relevant welder/machinist training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New welder/machinists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a welder/machinist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real welder/machinist resumes.Research welder/machinist duties and responsibilities
- Design and produce parts for production items on CNC mills and manual lathe.
- Perform stick and MIG welding, and oxyacetylene cutting to finish the job.
- Operate brazing, heat-treating, and welding equipment to cut, solder, and braze metal.
- Receive training on set up and programming on MAZAK 510C vertical mills, utilizing the MAZATROL controller.
Prepare your welder/machinist resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your welder/machinist resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a welder/machinist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable welder/machinist resume templates
Build a professional welder/machinist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your welder/machinist resume.
Apply for welder/machinist jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a welder/machinist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first welder/machinist job
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Average welder/machinist salary
The average welder/machinist salary in the United States is $38,338 per year or $18 per hour. Welder/machinist salaries range between $29,000 and $50,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do welder/machinists rate their job?
Welder/machinist reviews
Good job for a person like me. Just put my hood down and weld without much instruction. I am quiet and welding fits good with my personality.
I don't like getting burned, but as long as I wear proper protection, it is very preventable.
Constant Challenge making each day unique and fun. Not hard physical labor but mentally challenging. Constantly evolving skillset in an industry that is always changing and growing.
Some places are straight production shops and there will be limited opportunities to grow in them. When you make a mistake it can be huge and cost 10s of thousands of dollars to fix so you are often on edge.
It's challenging it keeps focused
Not to be appreciated, when we work hard, l love my work ND l wana learn more
Updated January 8, 2025
