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What You Need to Know About Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter

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

What Do Welders, Cutters, and Welder Fitters Do On a Daily Basis?

  • Dismantle metal assemblies or cut scrap metal, using thermal-cutting equipment, such as flame-cutting torches or plasma-arc equipment.
  • Develop templates and models for welding projects, using mathematical calculations based on blueprint information.
  • Detect faulty operation of equipment or defective materials and notify supervisors.
  • Use fire suppression methods in industrial emergencies.
  • Hammer out bulges or bends in metal workpieces.
  • Operate metal shaping, straightening, and bending machines, such as brakes and shears.

Things a Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter Should Know How to Do

Below is a list of the skills most Welders, Cutters, and Welder Fitters say are important on the job.

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.

Other Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter Job Titles

  • Mechanic and Welder
  • Oxyacetylene Cutter
  • Butt Welder
  • Tank Truck Mechanic
  • Welding Specialist

Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter Employment Estimates

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. There will be an estimated 45,800 positions for Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter per year.

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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.

Salary for 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

Tools & Technologies Used by Welders, Cutters, and Welder Fitters

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Welders, Cutters, and Welder Fitters:

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

Becoming a Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter

Education needed to be a Welder, Cutter, or Welder Fitter:

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How many years of work experience do I need?

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Welders, Cutters, and Welder Fitters Sector

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Welders, Cutters, and Welder Fitters work in the following industries:

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Similar Careers

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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