Career comparison
Industrial Maintenance Technician vs. Welder
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Industrial maintenance technicians earn more at the median ($64,520 vs. $53,750), while welders usually get to work faster (3–18 months of training). Industrial maintenance technicians keep factory machinery running with mechanical, electrical and PLC troubleshooting. Welders join and cut metal with MIG, TIG and stick welding for construction and manufacturing.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Industrial Maintenance Technician | Welder | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $64,520 ($31.02/hr) | $53,750 ($25.84/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $46,120 – $95,170 | $39,240 – $77,530 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +17.8% (much faster than average) | +2.4% (slower than average) |
| Openings per year | 44,400 | 40,300 |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training time | 1–4 years | 3–18 months |
| Key credential | CMRT (SMRP) | AWS Certified Welder |
| Work setting | Technicians work in manufacturing plants, warehouses, food processing facilities and utilities. | Welders work in fabrication shops, factories, shipyards, construction sites and refineries, sometimes outdoors or at heights. |
What each job does
Industrial Maintenance Technician
- Perform preventive and predictive maintenance on equipment
- Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic problems
- Repair or replace bearings, belts, motors, pumps and gearboxes
- Read schematics, prints and PLC ladder logic
- Align shafts and adjust machinery
Welder
- Read blueprints, specifications and weld symbols
- Prepare, clean and fit metal parts
- Set up welding equipment and select processes and settings
- Weld components in flat, horizontal, vertical and overhead positions
- Cut metal with oxy-fuel or plasma torches
How they’re similar
Both careers involve hands-on work and indoor work. They sit in different fields, mechanics, maintenance & manufacturing and skilled trades & construction, but share transferable skills such as problem-solving under pressure and steady hands and focus.
Which should you choose?
Choose industrial maintenance technician if…
- I like figuring out how machines work and why they break
- I’m comfortable with both mechanical and electrical work
- I can stay calm when production is down
Choose welder if…
- I like making things with my hands
- I have a steady hand and patience for precise work
- Heat, sparks and noise don’t bother me
Still torn? Take the Industrial Maintenance Technician fit quiz and the Welder fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, industrial maintenance technician or welder?
Industrial Maintenance Technicians earn more at the median: $64,520 versus $53,750 for welders, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Welders typically train faster (3–18 months) than industrial maintenance technicians (1–4 years).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects industrial maintenance technicians to grow +17.8% from 2025–35, compared with +2.4% for welders.