Pipe welder
Also known as: plumber, pipefitter, pipe fitter and welder, mechanical pipefitter, industrial pipefitter, industrial pipe welder
About this occupation
Pipe welders assemble and install parts and components of pipelines for the transport of goods such as water, steam and chemicals through them. They interpret specs such as pneumatics, hydraulics, for installation on site according to the safety and production requirements.
A specialisation of welder.
Essential skills and knowledge
- use metal bending techniques
- use wrenches
- isometric perspective
- use rigging equipment
- technical drawings
- detect flaws in pipeline infrastructure
- use measurement instruments
- operate soldering equipment
- assemble manufactured pipeline parts
- apply health and safety standards
- handle chemicals
- follow up pipeline integrity management priorities
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (O*NET 51-4121.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Operate safety equipment and use safe work habits.
- Examine workpieces for defects and measure workpieces with straightedges or templates to ensure conformance with specifications.
- Weld components in flat, vertical, or overhead positions.
- Detect faulty operation of equipment or defective materials and notify supervisors.
- Recognize, set up, and operate hand and power tools common to the welding trade, such as shielded metal arc and gas metal arc welding equipment.
- Select and install torches, torch tips, filler rods, and flux, according to welding chart specifications or types and thicknesses of metals.
- Typical education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Preparation
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Conventional, Investigative
Top skills: Quality Control Analysis, Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Operations Monitoring, Time Management
US median pay: US$53,750 a year (2025), 416,210 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- MetalworkO*NET: MechanicalImportant (3.1)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
- Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers
- Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
- Boilermakers
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing
- Tool and Die Makers
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assemblers
- Tool Grinders, Filers, and Sharpeners
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.