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Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter

Life As a Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter

Career Description Use hand-welding or flame-cutting equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.

List of Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter Job Duties

  • Monitor the fitting, burning, and welding processes to avoid overheating of parts or warping, shrinking, distortion, or expansion of material.
  • Check grooves, angles, or gap allowances, using micrometers, calipers, and precision measuring instruments.
  • Detect faulty operation of equipment or defective materials and notify supervisors.
  • Signal crane operators to move large workpieces.
  • Weld components in flat, vertical, or overhead positions.
  • Join parts such as beams and steel reinforcing rods in buildings, bridges, and highways, bolting and riveting as necessary.

Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter Skills

Welders, Cutters, and Welder Fitters state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Types of Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter Jobs

  • Torch Operator
  • Torch Straightener and Heater
  • Steel Burner
  • Welder-Fitter
  • Weld Lay Out Worker

Job Outlook for Welders, Cutters, and Welder Fitters

In the United States, there were 404,800 jobs for Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 5.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 22,500 new jobs for Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter by 2026. The BLS estimates 45,800 yearly job openings in this field.

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The states with the most job growth for Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter are Rhode Island, Utah, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Maine, or Ohio. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

What is the Average Salary of a Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter

The average yearly salary of a Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter ranges between $28,560 and $63,740.

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Welders, Cutters, and Welder Fitters who work in Alaska, District of Columbia, or Hawaii, make the highest salaries.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Welders, Cutters, and Welder Fitters in different U.S. states.

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $41,050
Alaska $67,330
Arizona $43,150
Arkansas $40,340
California $46,560
Colorado $50,300
Connecticut $52,920
Delaware $52,180
District of Columbia $60,780
Florida $39,660
Georgia $37,500
Hawaii $59,120
Idaho $37,740
Illinois $42,960
Indiana $40,900
Iowa $39,240
Kansas $43,830
Kentucky $39,640
Louisiana $52,810
Maine $48,220
Maryland $50,550
Massachusetts $53,060
Michigan $39,670
Minnesota $45,490
Mississippi $44,350
Missouri $40,580
Montana $44,310
Nebraska $41,850
Nevada $48,700
New Hampshire $48,340
New Jersey $47,050
New Mexico $54,240
New York $48,040
North Carolina $41,470
North Dakota $50,860
Ohio $41,380
Oklahoma $46,040
Oregon $45,470
Pennsylvania $43,630
Rhode Island $51,000
South Carolina $43,960
South Dakota $38,420
Tennessee $40,780
Texas $46,140
Utah $45,210
Vermont $43,210
Virginia $46,360
Washington $51,230
West Virginia $48,150
Wisconsin $43,490
Wyoming $60,960

What Tools & Technology do Welders, Cutters, and Welder Fitters Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Welders, Cutters, and Welder Fitters may use on a daily basis:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office
  • IBM Notes
  • Recordkeeping software
  • Scientific Software Group Filter Drain FD

How to Become a Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter

What kind of Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter requirements are there?

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How Long Does it Take to Become a Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter?

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Those interested in being a Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter may also be interested in:

Career changers with experience as a Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

References:

Image Credit: US Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class John Linzmeier via Public domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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