Best Welding Certification Programs

Hobart Institute of Welding Technology offers a 24-week long welding program providing students with everything they need to enter into an entry-level career in the field. The school only teaches welding, which allows them to focus on providing top-level professionals with seasoned industry leaders to provide their education. 

The cost for Hobart’s welding certification courses is $11,700, which is a mid-range to lower price point for this type of education. The courses occur in-person with hands-on education and training for industry-certified professionals in Troy, Ohio. Students may select a structural welding focus or a combination structural and pipe welding program. Topics include welding technology, blueprint reading, shielded metal arc welding, and flux-cored arc welding, among others.

Another core advantage of this program is the assistance after completing the courses. Students can receive employment assistance to find local jobs. The school states that over 100,000 people have completed the courses it offers, with many working for Fortune 500 companies.

The welding technology program at Davis Technical College takes 11 months to complete, but provides students with a wide range of skills including flux core arc welding, plasma cutting, and spray arc welding, among others. It's also the most affordable program at $5,052.

Davis Technical College uses state-of-the-art welding equipment and hands-on learning to prepare students for American Welding Society certifications. Students complete a total of 1000 hours of program training in person. The training is completed Monday through Friday with courses available throughout the day, and some available in the evenings. 

Davis Technical College does not require students to meet prerequisites. Instead, the program is available to high school students at least 16 years of age and adults with a high school diploma or equivalent. The school claims an 87% placement rate for students who complete its program.

Ashland Community and Technical College provides several learning paths for students in the welding field, including certificates for welder helper, gas welder, and arc cutter. More advanced certificates are also offered, including pipeline welder and production line welder. Students are also able to continue their education to earn a full associate degree, a process that takes two years to complete. 

Though the cost of the program is $24,625, students can apply for free tuition through the Work Ready Scholarship Program, an opportunity for eligible students based on financial abilities. While the program is only available in person, students have the flexibility to learn days and evenings, allowing them to continue to work while earning their certificate. 

Ashland Community and Technical College states that graduates can work in various manufacturing and industry fields including entry-level positions in manufacturing, ironworking, pipe-fitting, and boiler-making. The school also offers some support for students looking for job placement assistance.

At Tulsa Welding School, students learn at one of three locations in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Jacksonville, Florida, or Houston, Texas. Courses are available during the day, at night, or on weekends, offering more flexibility to learn. The program takes just seven months to complete, allowing students to get into the field quickly.

Tulsa Welding School’s certification program trains students in structural welding, pipe welding, and flux core welding using modern methods and hands-on learning. Students will be prepared to work in the military, manufacturing, aerospace and aviation, or shipbuilding upon completion. The program costs $20,465 for training.

Tulsa Welding School doesn’t offer students access to job placement across the board but does provide assist with job interviewing and weld tests to help them complete their welding certifications. Students work hand-in-hand with instructors to ensure they are ready for those exams.

Elite Welding Academy offers a structural and pipe welding program as well as a manufacturing welding and SP program. The courses focus on both commercial and industrial applications, giving students a wide range of skills. Students work with seasoned industry professionals to get hands-on training in their field. The program focuses on preparing students to work in the field with necessary skills as well as a safety-minded focus to training.

Elite Welding Academy also offers financial aid access to enable most applicants to get into the program, though at $29,768, the price is one of the highest we've found. The program takes about seven months to complete and fully prepares students to obtain their certification and work in the field. Career services include job interviewing skills as well as help finding open positions in the area.  A key drawback is that it is only available as an in-person program. 

Students will complete 1,000 credit hours of education using industry-standard and modern equipment and training to the American Welding Society and American Society of Mechanical Engineers guidelines. The school also follows the welding guidelines set by the National Council of Construction Education and Research for their construction-focused programs.

The Advanced Welding Institute offers a 15-week structural welding program to help students perform all welding of plates across most industrial applications. Students earn skills for entry-level positions in the areas of fabrication, manufacturing, and construction. Courses include shielded metal, gas metal, and gas tungsten arc welding, among others. 

Post-training, the school provides job placement opportunities and boasts a job placement rate of 87%. To prepare students, Advanced Welding Institute offers career support with resume building and interview skills.

The school also says it has a low student-to-teacher ratio to help students prepare for real-life scenarios. Students attend full time, spending as much as eight hours a day in the welding shop building skills. The program has a moderately high price of $21,300, though financial aid opportunities may be available. The program is only available in-person in Vermont and Wisconsin, but it offers some of the most sought-after training, making it well worth consideration.

Most welding courses happen in-person due to the requirements to learn advanced hands-on skills. The American Welding Society offers an 8-week seminar for those with a basic welding certification to obtain Certified Welding Inspector training. This is an affordable program at only $2,840 and offers both a virtual seminar and a seminar with an exam package.

This program is an excellent choice for those who already are working as a welder and want to advance their career while working. Students will learn how to perform visual inspections as well as industry practice skills and get access to an interactive program with instructions set over several weeks for two-hour sessions each day.

American Welding Society’s course is not for those seeking basic welding training. Instead, it offers an opportunity for students to extend their careers in a new direction.