Wire welder vs structural welder

The differences between wire welders and structural 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 wire welder and a structural welder. Additionally, a structural welder has an average salary of $42,868, which is higher than the $38,882 average annual salary of a wire welder.

The top three skills for a wire welder include MIG, calipers and FCAW. The most important skills for a structural welder are SMAW, FCAW, and MIG.

Wire welder vs structural welder overview

	Wire Welder	Structural Welder
Yearly salary	$38,882	$42,868
Hourly rate	$18.69	$20.61
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	7,282	9,651
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Diploma, 43%	High School Diploma, 46%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

Wire welder vs structural welder salary

Wire welders and structural welders have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Wire Welder	Structural Welder
Average salary	$38,882	$42,868
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $51,000	Between $31,000 And $58,000
Highest paying City	-	Philadelphia, PA
Highest paying state	-	Massachusetts
Best paying company	-	Turner Construction
Best paying industry	-	Construction

Differences between wire welder and structural welder education

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

	Wire Welder	Structural Welder
Most common degree	Diploma, 43%	High School Diploma, 46%
Most common major	Precision Metal Working	Precision Metal Working
Most common college	-	-

Wire welder vs structural welder demographics

Here are the differences between wire welders' and structural welders' demographics:

	Wire Welder	Structural Welder
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9%	Male, 94.9% Female, 5.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 19.8% Asian, 3.6% White, 63.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%	Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 22.1% Asian, 2.6% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between wire welder and structural welder duties and responsibilities

Wire welder example responsibilities.

Secure loads of 6"to 12"casing , 4"PVC liner and water on service truck.
Operate MIG welder to produce parts and or products.
Certificate courses in any repute institute in MIG welding are favore.
Skil with cutting torch, over head cranes, and welding machine, grinder, and tape measure
Perform MIG and stick welds and erecting structural steel utilize for building skeletons including specific/ detail measurements for accuracy.
Perform preventive maintenance, electronic robotic operation, pneumatic system operation, and initial quality control.

Structural welder example responsibilities.

Manage and run production parts through the brake.
Fabricate and assemble small parts and components with the GMAW, SMAW, FCAW and aluminum weld process.
Bound structural as well as nonstructural parts by means of welding according to drawings using MIG and TIG welding of steel.
Weld, and fabricate pressure vessels using GMAW process.
Fix various stock trailers and other equipment that come in for repairs using FCAW, and GMAW.
Weld separately or in combination using aluminum, stainless steel, cast iron, and other alloys.

Wire welder vs structural welder skills

Common wire welder skills

MIG, 51%
Calipers, 14%
FCAW, 13%
Cranes, 10%
Structural Steel, 3%
Assembly Line, 3%

Common structural welder skills

SMAW, 9%
FCAW, 8%
MIG, 8%
Arc Welding, 8%
GMAW, 6%
Hand Tools, 5%