The Best Training for
Welding in 2021

Many universities struggle to prepare students for the workforce, but that’s simply not the case for the top welding schools. The following list surveys the best welding schools and programs, based on tuition fees, financing options, the quality of the curriculum, and yes, job preparation.

This Albany Technical College program offers hands-on experience training by teaching you the most fundamental aspects of professional welding. Some of the things you’ll learn are oxy-fuel and plasma cutting and 6G welding.

By the end of the program, you’ll be able to perform flat surface welding, overhead welding, horizontal welding, uphill welding, and downhill welding.

The Arizona Automotive Institute is a vocational school focused on automotive occupations like heavy truck technician or refrigeration specialist. However, you can also study combination welding with a focus on welding mechanics.

This is a certificate program and a license preparation course at the same time. You will learn everything you need to know to pass the professional welder certification exam from the American Welding Society (AWS).

The Ashland Community and Technical College is one of the most reputable institutions in Kentucky and has some of the lowest tuition fees. The school has an enrollment of 2,600 and offers three welding programs, including two associate degree options and one technical diploma option.

BYU-Idaho offers three programs in welding technology. You can choose the associate degree for a shorter two-year program or go for a four-year Bachelor’s Degree in Welding Technology or Welding Technology Management. Both of these programs help prepare you for the professional welder certification exam from AWS.

These programs are more technical than the ones offered at the aforementioned schools. You will learn how professional engineers approach welding technology, including how to use specialized software like CAD/CAM.

Central Louisiana Technical Community College is one of the largest schools in the region. It offers a technical welding program validated by the American Welding Society (AWS). Students receive the proper training to pass the professional welder certification exam from AWS.

Ferris State University offers both associate and bachelor’s degree options for aspiring welders. The school’s welding department is one of the largest in the country. Graduates typically find work in several industries, including construction and robotics. According to FSU’s website, the average graduate earns a starting salary of $62,000.

It’s important to mention that this school has excellent laboratories to practice robotic welding, inspections, and mechanical testing.

Hobart Institute of Welding Technology has more than 90 years of experience teaching welding and its programs have gained international recognition. They offer career and job placement services to help students build up their soft skills. According to the school, 92 percent of graduates are working in the welding industry.

Both of Hobart’s main welding programs provide you with a wide variety of welding skills, including four weeks of oxyacetylene welding training and two weeks of welding technology training. The Combination Structural and Pipe Welding Program lasts 40 weeks, while the Structural Welding Program lasts 24 weeks.

The Modern Welding School offers a full-time combination welding certificate program that provides you with bottom-up welding training. This school has special opportunities for women and veterans.

The program lasts 900 hours and uses books, equipment, metals, and supplies for training. The school also offers career services and has a high post-graduate employment rate. According to the school’s 2019 annual report, 82 percent of graduates got jobs in the welding industry.

South Georgia Technical College offers a technical diploma. Its program prepares you for employment by emphasizing laboratory classes. To be eligible for this particular degree, you must have a high school diploma and be over 16.

This school has a reputable and large welding department with a wide variety of specialized courses. These welder programs focus on particular skills like welding blueprint reading, gas tungsten arc welding, and pipe welding. You can learn all of these skills in the technical degree program, but you can also get a professional certificate in a particular skill.

TWS is one of the largest welding institutions in the country. It offers several welding programs, including an Associate Degree in Welding Technology. Most programs are short-term and flexible. They range from seven to ten months long.

The associate degree is a two-year degree that gives you the tools you need to start a career in welding. You will learn about welding codes, metallurgy, quality assurance, and more.

The program includes job placement services and career guidance. The school also has several hiring partners that make your job hunt easier.