Welder operator vs forklift operator

The differences between welder operators and forklift 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 operator and a forklift operator. Additionally, a forklift operator has an average salary of $34,213, which is higher than the $31,669 average annual salary of a welder operator.

The top three skills for a welder operator include MIG, arc welding and hand tools. The most important skills for a forklift operator are pallets, basic math, and electric pallet jack.

Welder operator vs forklift operator overview

	Welder Operator	Forklift Operator
Yearly salary	$31,669	$34,213
Hourly rate	$15.23	$16.45
Growth rate	2%	7%
Number of jobs	51,229	213,020
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 50%	High School Diploma, 59%
Average age	40	43
Years of experience	4	4

Welder operator vs forklift operator salary

Welder operators and forklift operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Welder Operator	Forklift Operator
Average salary	$31,669	$34,213
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $38,000	Between $27,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	Chicopee, MA	Minneapolis, MN
Highest paying state	Wyoming	North Dakota
Best paying company	Capco	DeWitt LLP Law Firm
Best paying industry	Automotive	Automotive

Differences between welder operator and forklift operator education

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

	Welder Operator	Forklift Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 50%	High School Diploma, 59%
Most common major	Precision Metal Working	Business
Most common college	-	-

Welder operator vs forklift operator demographics

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

	Welder Operator	Forklift Operator
Average age	40	43
Gender ratio	Male, 85.6% Female, 14.4%	Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 16.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 2.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	3%	4%

Differences between welder operator and forklift operator duties and responsibilities

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.

Forklift operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Position forks under, over, or around load pallets, boxes, products, and transports load to designate area.
Transport raw materials to storage or point of production base on FIFO.
Remove press parts from line and place into WIP locations by FIFO.
Perform safety checks on machines; and troubleshoot problems during machine operation.
Start working as an order selector picking orders and wrapping for shipment.

Welder operator vs forklift operator skills

Common welder operator skills

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

Common forklift operator skills

Pallets, 18%
Basic Math, 6%
Electric Pallet Jack, 5%
OSHA, 5%
Safety Procedures, 5%
Load Trucks, 4%