How Do You Choose Between Welding Schools?
Start with welding schools you can reach on lab days, then compare three things: the credential (a certificate of a few months to a year, or a two-year associate degree), the processes you'll practice, and the full cost. Public community and technical colleges report their tuition to the U.S. Department of Education; at the best welding schools in Texas, 2024–25 resident tuition ran $1,863 to $7,212 a year.
Welding Schools by State
Each state guide compares local welding programs on tuition, credentials, and campuses, with statewide welder pay.
Best Welding Schools in Texas
Texas employs more welders than any other state. We ranked all 39 Texas colleges that award welding credentials on program size, cost, and completion. The top three:
- #1Lee College
Baytown · $2,520 a year · 182 welding certificates and degrees in 2024–25
- #2San Jacinto College
Pasadena · $2,490 a year · 534 welding certificates and degrees in 2024–25
- #3Texarkana College
Texarkana · $2,476 a year · 103 welding certificates and degrees in 2024–25
Welding Programs Worth a Look
A few welding programs from our state guides, each with a distinct strength: TSTC's statewide campuses, LATTC's on-site test center, State Tech's automation labs, and SWIC's evening classes.
Texas State Technical College
Welding
- Credential
- Welding Technology AAS and certificates
- Campus
- Multiple Texas campuses, including Waco, Harlingen, and North Texas
- Training
- Welding processes, blueprint reading, and quality inspection
- Tuition
- $7,212, in-state
Los Angeles Trade-Technical College
Welding
- Credential
- Welding Gas and Electric associate degree or certificate; additional GTAW and SMAW certificates
- Campus
- Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, 400 West Washington Boulevard
- Training
- Full-time hands-on training, with separate GTAW and SMAW certificate paths
- Tuition
- $1,238, in-state
State Technical College of Missouri
Welding Technology
- Credential
- Associate of Applied Science in Welding Technology
- Campus
- State Technical College of Missouri, Linn
- Training
- Manual and automated fabrication, blueprint reading, CNC plasma, and robotic welding
- Tuition
- $8,160, in-state
Southwestern Illinois College
Welding Technology
- Credential
- Associate in Applied Science and Basic, Advanced Skills, or Advanced Manufacturing certificates
- Campus
- Belleville, Granite City, East St. Louis, and Red Bud
- Training
- SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW, cutting, print reading, fit-up, and inspection
- Tuition
- $3,960
Compare all 20 welding programs by state, credential, and process
Welding Training: Certificate, Degree, and Certification
Every school on this site is a public community or technical college. Like other welding trade schools, they offer two kinds of welding training and many offer evening welding classes. A certificate focuses on shop time in stick, MIG, flux-core, and TIG welding and gets you job-ready fastest. An associate degree adds pipe welding, metallurgy, inspection, and general education, and suits students who want to move into inspection or supervision.
Neither one is the same as welding certification, such as AWS certification. The American Welding Society's Certified Welder credential is a performance test with no school prerequisite, and many employers test you on their own procedure before hiring. See our welding certification guide, how to become a welder in Texas, or how to become an underwater welder.
Welder Salary: What Welders Earn
BLS estimates about 416,210 U.S. jobs for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers, with a median of $53,750 a year. The highest state medians are in Alaska ($80,840), Hawaii ($79,000), Connecticut ($64,880).
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. See welder salary by state.
Welding Trade Schools FAQ
How Long Will It Take to Become a Welder?
Most welding certificates at the community and technical colleges on this site take from about three months to a year, and an associate degree takes about two years full time. You can take an employer or AWS weld test as soon as your skills are ready.
Can I Learn Welding in 3 Months?
You can learn the basics. San Jacinto College's GTAW (TIG) skills award takes about three months, and Dallas College's skills awards take about four. Most welding jobs expect you to pass a weld test, so plan to keep practicing after a short course.
How Much Does a Welding Course Cost?
At the ten best welding schools in Texas, 2024–25 resident tuition and fees for a full-time year ran from $1,863 to $7,212. California community colleges charged residents about $1,100 to $1,400. Books, tools, and gear cost extra.
Is It Worth Going to Welding School?
It depends on the job you want. At the community and technical colleges on this site, a full year of resident tuition cost $1,142 to $8,160 in 2024–25, and welders earn a national median of $53,750 a year (BLS, May 2025). School also gives you supervised booth time to pass the weld tests employers use.
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How We Research Welding Schools
Every figure on this site comes from the U.S. Department of Education's College Navigator, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or the college's own welding page, reviewed September 24, 2026. Read our methodology and affiliate disclosure.