The term ‘underwater welder’ refers to a type of worker who uses the special underwater welding equipment to weld pipes and other metal structures together. This type of work is usually done in oil rigs, offshore oil fields, and other underwater locations.
The most important qualification for this type of work is having experience in underwater welding. Another important qualification is having the right certification as an underwater welder. This will help a person to get a good job as an underwater welder with the right company.
How Much Does an Underwater Welder Make?
The salary of an underwater welder depends on the level of experience and the characteristics of a company. However, the average salary for this type of job is around $55,000 per year. The top salaries for underwater welders are $110,000 and above.
Some companies offer benefits to their underwater welder employees. These include health insurance, paid vacation days, and other perks. These benefits are usually provided to the employees as part of their employment contract.
Underwater Welding Salary
The best underwater welder salary is usually given to the experienced workers. This means that a person has been working as an underwater welder for at least two years without any job dissatisfaction. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this type of worker can expect to get a salary of $110,000 per year. However, the salary can also depend on the company. Some companies offer average salaries of $55,000 per year to their underwater welders while others offer top salaries of $110,000 per year to their employees.
In some cases, an underwater welder may be required to purchase their own underwater welding equipment and tools. In such cases, the employee will have to buy these tools and equipment from the company they work for. Their employer will pay for the equipment, while the employee is responsible for the cost of the equipment.
Do not expect to wear a scuba and start welding, all of these job opportunities are topside and require saturation diving. Many dive methods and certifications are required to be able to do divers work. Diving jobs in freshwater do not require more than a high school diploma to start but offshore divers will need to join a school to get certified.
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Shop High-Quality Welding EquipmentWhat is the Job Outlook for Underwater Welder?
The job outlook for underwater welders is quite good. This is because the industry is expected to grow at a rate of 3% from 2012 to 2022. This means that the number of people who will be needed as underwater welder will increase at a rate of about 3% every year.
An experienced underwater welder may expect to get a salary of $110,000 per year. The average salary for an experienced underwater welder is around $55,000 per year. However, this varies depending on the company they work for and the company’s policy towards their employees. Some companies have low-paying positions while others have high-paying positions in their company.
Take your time and do not be afraid to look for positions slightly further than initially anticipated. Traveling a bit may grant you access to similar positions with much greater salary and benefits. LinkedIn and Glassdoor are great resources to compare not only salaries across companies and functions but will also allow you to see reviews from existing and former employees. Nothing like a peer review to make sure you are making the right decision.
The job outlook for underwater welders depends on several factors:
Demand for Oil and Gas Trains
The demand for oil and gas trains will remain high in the coming years. This means that the need for underwater welders will increase. The growth in this industry will require the construction of pipelines, oil platforms, and other structures. This will require underwater welding as part of their work.
The recent bills passed by the government are opening a lot of public opportunities for the industry and manpower is hard to come by. Specifically for technical jobs like underwater welding where the associated risks are often stopping people from pursuing opportunities even at much higher salary levels. If you were to train and get certified in both diving and welding, you would certainly find a job rapidly. Most under water welders change jobs as they age and chose something a bit less physical, most likely going back to classic welding in the industrial world.
Feel free to reach out to professionals in this field on LinkedIn and ask for their advice. This is a small community and typically folks will be willing to refer you and share tips.
Demand for Oil Pipelines
The oil pipelines will continue to be constructed in many areas of the ocean. This means that there is a need to build new pipelines to replace existing ones. The need for underwater welding is also expected to increase as a result of this construction work. Additionally, the demand for pipelines can be affected by the decrease in demand for oil and gas in some parts of the world.
Offshore underwater welders have a pay scale base on the difficulty of the expected wet welding typically expressed as percentile based on years of experience. The average underwater welding salary is reached in a couple years according to the American Welding Society. Commercial diving schools are worth contacting if you want to get a better understanding of depth pay and the associated cost of living for a diving career. Distance offshore welding is among the most difficult and a commercial diving certification will be required. Hourly wage will depend on the hyperbaric level and job title, note that overtime pay is not guaranteed so take the time to review each opportunity before engaging yourself on water vessels.
Demand for Offshore Oil Fields Commercial Divers
The demand for offshore oil fields is expected to increase in the coming years. This will require the construction of new offshore oil fields. The underwater welding work will be required to construct these oil fields. Additionally, there is a need to repair existing offshore oil fields as well. This means that there will be a need for underwater welding in this area as well.
Pipe welders are in high demand as saturation divers who can do welders work are hard to find. A welding certification combined with scuba diving experience is not very common and companies are often forced to hire foreign workforce to get the job done. Welding inspectors are typically former welders who have mastered the art of underwater welding projects and have opened a welding shop.
Demand for Marine Structures and Pipeline Commercial Diving
A number of marine structures and pipelines are being constructed in different parts of the world. These include oil platforms, pipelines, and other structures that are used for transporting oil and gas from different parts of the world to different places on land. The construction of these structures will require underwater welders as part of their construction projects.
The job outlook for underwater welders depends on the demand for offshore oil fields, oil platforms, pipelines, and other marine structures and pipelines. This means that the demand for these types of structures will continue to increase in the coming years. This will lead to more underwater welding jobs in the years to come. A number of companies will also be required to build new offshore oil fields and repair existing offshore oil fields in order to ensure a continued supply of oil and gas.
As more and more marine structures are being built not only to harvest fossil fuel but to also deploy alternative energy harvesting systems on the ocean the demand for workers keeps growing. Associations of welders can provide a large range of information about health and retirement benefits for this profession not to mention life insurance options in case something happens. Insuring your family is certainly a wise decision prior to starting such a dangerous job. Safeguard processes and technology have greatly improved over the past two decades and it is certainly safer than ever to weld underwater.
Conclusion
Underwater welder salaries can vary depending on several factors. This means that the best underwater welder salary can be anywhere between $55,000 and $110,000 per year. The jobs for underwater welders are expected to grow at a rapid rate in the coming years. This will lead to increased need for these types of workers.
The underwater welder salary can also vary depending on the company. This means that experienced underwater welders can expect to earn more than inexperienced underwater welders. The best underwater welder salary is usually given to the experienced workers.
The job outlook for underwater welder is quite good because the demand for the oil and gas trains will continue to increase in the coming years. This will lead to more jobs for underwater welders as part of their construction projects.
Let’s not forget that while the higher salary may sound attractive it is certainly a totally different job to weld under water. Some people will get anxiety and may even suffer from depression after been in this high stress environment and it is certainly not for everyone. That being said it is a great opportunity to earn more money for a short period of time if you are not afraid of the water and are looking for a new challenge!
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