In short
Welders usually start with a 7-to-9-month certificate program at a trade school or community college, then pass a hands-on welding test for a job or for the American Welding Society's Certified Welder credential. Training runs about $3,000 to $15,000 before grants, and apprenticeships pay you while you learn. Welders earned a median of about $51,000 a year in May 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with the top 10% above $75,000. Fill out the form to hear from welding programs near you.
Quick facts
| Training time | About 7–9 months at a trade school; some employers train on the job; apprenticeships run several years |
|---|---|
| School cost | About $3,000–$15,000 before grants and aid; community college is the cheap end |
| Certifications | Many jobs require passing a welding test. The AWS Certified Welder credential is the best-known portable certification. There is no state license for welding. |
| Typical pay | About $51,000 a year nationwide (national median, May 2024). The lowest 10% earned under about $38,130 and the highest 10% over about $75,850. |
| Job outlook | About 2% growth from 2025 to 2035, but around 40,300 openings a year on average as welders retire or leave the field. |
| Good for people who | Like precise hands-on work, don't mind heat and sparks, and want skills employers can test on the spot |
Is this job for you?
Five honest questions. If most answers are yes, welding is worth exploring. The trade-offs are real, though: welders work around heat, bright light, sparks, and fumes, and some jobs mean travel, long shifts, or working outdoors in bad weather.
- Do you like work where small differences in how you do it really matter?
- Are you okay wearing a helmet and protective gear in hot conditions?
- Can you focus on one careful task for long stretches without getting sloppy?
- Would you rather learn a skill you can prove with a test than sit in classrooms?
- Are you able to travel sometimes, or work overtime on a big project?
If most of those are no, look at dental assisting (indoor, daytime hours) or HVAC instead.
What the work is like
A lot of welding happens in a shop, where you build or repair parts at a bench or a jig. Other welding happens on a job site, outdoors or on a structure. You'll read drawings, set up your machine, position the metal, and lay down beads in different positions - flat, horizontal, vertical, and overhead. Then you clean the weld and often grind it smooth.
The common processes are stick (SMAW), MIG (GMAW), TIG (GTAW), and flux-cored. Which one you use depends on the job - pipe welders, structural welders, and production welders each lean on different ones. Because employers test your actual skill, your hands matter more than the name of your school.
Welding schools near you have open seats.
The form already has "Skilled trades" picked for you. A few more questions and you're done.
How to get trained
Trade school or community college certificate
About 7 to 9 months. You spend most of your time in a booth learning the main processes and practicing the positions an employer will test you on. Many programs finish with a certification test so you leave with a credential and not just a certificate of attendance.
Apprenticeship or helper job
Some fabrication shops, pipefitters, and unions hire helpers with no experience and train them while paying a wage. Slower to reach top pay, but no tuition and you earn from day one. Common in shipyards, refineries, and pipeline work.
Military or self-taught, then certify
The AWS Certified Welder program has no education requirement - you qualify by passing a hands-on test at an accredited testing facility. If you already weld, you can test directly. If you don't, school is how most people get ready for that test.
What school costs
| Where | Cost before aid | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community college certificate | About $3,000–$7,000 | 7–12 months | Cheapest; Pell and state grants often apply |
| Private trade school | About $8,000–$15,000 | 7–9 months | Fast start dates; ask for total cost in writing |
| Apprenticeship | Usually $0 (you are paid) | Several years | No tuition; you learn on real jobs |
A certification test fee is often separate from tuition. Ask the school whether the test is included and how many times you can retry.
What it pays
| Stage | Typical yearly pay | What you're doing |
|---|---|---|
| Starting out | Around $32,000–$40,000 | Basic production or helper work while you build skill |
| Median | About $51,000 | Certified welder doing steady work |
| Top 10% | Over about $75,850 | Pipe welders, specialty and code work, or your own shop |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Pay varies a lot by industry - BLS reported a median of about $59,440 for welders in specialty trade contractors and about $51,210 in manufacturing. Figures are national and rounded and are not a promise of what you will earn.
Questions about welding
Do I need a certification to be a welder?
Not always, but many employers require you to pass a welding test before they hire you, and some jobs and codes require specific certifications. The American Welding Society's Certified Welder credential is performance-based and portable, which means it can follow you from employer to employer without retesting. The test is done at an AWS-accredited testing facility.
How long does a welding certification last?
AWS Certified Welder certification stays valid as long as you maintain continuity - you submit paperwork every six months confirming you still do that kind of welding. If you stop, it can go inactive and you'd requalify by testing again.
Which welding process should I learn?
Most programs teach several. Stick and MIG are the most common starting points for structural and production work; TIG is slower and cleaner and shows up in aerospace, food, and pipe work. You don't have to choose up front - learn the basics, then get certified in the processes the jobs near you use.
Is welding dangerous?
It has real hazards - burns, eye damage from the arc, fumes, and fire risk - which is exactly why training covers safety gear, ventilation, and safe habits. With the right helmet, gloves, clothing, and ventilation, welders work safely for a career.
Can I weld at night and keep my day job?
Many community college and technical programs offer evening and weekend sections. It can take a bit longer, but it's a common way for working adults to retrain. Ask the school about its schedule.