Wire welder vs welder operator

The differences between wire 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 wire welder and a welder operator. Additionally, a wire welder has an average salary of $38,882, which is higher than the $31,669 average annual salary of a welder operator.

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

Wire welder vs welder operator overview

	Wire Welder	Welder Operator
Yearly salary	$38,882	$31,669
Hourly rate	$18.69	$15.23
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	7,282	51,229
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Diploma, 43%	High School Diploma, 50%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

Wire welder vs welder operator salary

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

	Wire Welder	Welder Operator
Average salary	$38,882	$31,669
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $51,000	Between $25,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	-	Chicopee, MA
Highest paying state	-	Wyoming
Best paying company	-	Capco
Best paying industry	-	Automotive

Differences between wire welder and welder operator education

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

	Wire Welder	Welder Operator
Most common degree	Diploma, 43%	High School Diploma, 50%
Most common major	Precision Metal Working	Precision Metal Working
Most common college	-	-

Wire welder vs welder operator demographics

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

	Wire Welder	Welder Operator
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9%	Male, 85.6% Female, 14.4%
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, 10.6% 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 wire welder and welder operator 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.

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.

Wire welder vs welder operator skills

Common wire welder skills

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

Common welder operator skills

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