What Are the Best Welding Schools in Colorado?
- Aims Community College (Greeley) offers Associate of Applied Science in Welding Technology and Metal Cutting and Gouging Certificate.
- Front Range Community College (Fort Collins) offers AAS in Welding and Automated Welding and Cutting.
- Pikes Peak State College (Colorado Springs) offers Welding AAS and Basic Welding Certificate.
- Resident tuition and fees run from $2,258 to $9,927 a year (2024–25).
- Welding classes in Colorado: 3 of the verified welding programs in Colorado list evening or weekend sections.
- Colorado welders earn a median $58,590 a year (BLS, May 2025).
Aims Community College Leads the Colorado Welding School Rankings
| # | College | Tuition and fees | Welding awards | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aims Community CollegeGreeley | $2,258 | 263 certificates, 29 associate | 40% |
| 2 | Front Range Community CollegeFort Collins | $4,663 | 392 certificates, 16 associate | 35% |
| 3 | Pikes Peak State CollegeColorado Springs | $4,510 | 159 certificates, 21 associate | 21% |
| 4 | Pueblo Community CollegePueblo | $5,049 | 326 certificates, 35 associate | 31% |
| 5 | Lincoln College of Technology-DenverDenver | 225 certificates | ||
| 6 | Northeastern Junior CollegeSterling | $5,730 | 39 certificates, 6 associate | 56% |
| 7 | Trinidad State CollegeTrinidad | $4,608 | 22 certificates, 3 associate | 55% |
| 8 | Community College of DenverDenver | $4,902 | 62 certificates, 12 associate | 20% |
| 9 | Pickens Technical CollegeAurora | $5,140 | 47 certificates | 76% |
| 10 | Colorado Mesa UniversityGrand Junction | $9,927 | 73 certificates | 41% |
| 11 | Emily Griffith Technical CollegeDenver | 29 certificates | ||
| 12 | Red Rocks Community CollegeLakewood | $4,859 | 2 certificates, 1 associate | 32% |
Welding programs in Colorado, ranked by the method below. Tuition is the 2024–25 full-time resident rate and graduation rate is college-wide (NCES College Navigator). Welding awards are credentials conferred in welding (IPEDS). Blank cells mean no federal figure for that college.
How We Ranked Colorado Welding Schools
Each Colorado college with a verified, current welding program page gets a percentile score among its in-state peers: program size (35%, welding awards conferred), cost (25%, lowest resident tuition and fees for 2024–25), completion (25%, college-wide graduation rate) and credential ladder (15%, both certificates and associate degrees awarded). Federal data can't measure instructors or equipment, so visit the shop before you enroll.
Best Welding Schools in Colorado by Goal: Top Ranked, Lowest Tuition, Most Welding Awards, Working Adults and Highest Completion
Welding Programs in Colorado Near Denver and Colorado Springs
Welding classes in Colorado are easiest to keep up with at a campus you can reach on lab days, so start with the city you can commute from. Each program is grouped with the nearest city guide within 45 miles.
- DenverFront Range Community College, Lincoln College of Technology-Denver, Community College of Denver, Emily Griffith Technical College, Red Rocks Community College and Pickens Technical College
- Colorado SpringsPueblo Community College and Pikes Peak State College
Welding Schools in Colorado, College by College
1Aims Community College, Greeley, Colorado
Offers an associate degree and 5 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $2,258 in-district, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 292 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Pipe · Cutting
2Front Range Community College, Fort Collins, Colorado
Offers an associate degree and 9 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $4,663 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 408 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Cutting · Fabrication · Robotic
3Pikes Peak State College, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Offers an associate degree and 5 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $4,510 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 180 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Pipe · Cutting · Fabrication
4Pueblo Community College, Pueblo, Colorado
Offers an associate degree and 8 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $5,049 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 361 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Pipe · Cutting · Fabrication
5Lincoln College of Technology-Denver, Denver, Colorado
Offers 2 diplomas in welding
- Welding awards offered
- 2 certificates and degrees
- Welding awards
- 225 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Pipe · Fabrication
6Northeastern Junior College, Sterling, Colorado
Offers an associate degree and 6 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $5,730 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 45 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Pipe · Cutting
7Trinidad State College, Trinidad, Colorado
Offers an associate degree and a certificate in welding
- Tuition / year
- $4,608 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 25 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Pipe · Cutting
8Community College of Denver, Denver, Colorado
Offers an associate degree and 5 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $4,902 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 74 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Pipe · Cutting
9Pickens Technical College, Aurora, Colorado
Offers a certificate in welding
- Tuition / year
- $5,140 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 47 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Cutting · Fabrication
10Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction, Colorado
Offers an associate degree and 2 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $9,927 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 73 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Pipe · Cutting
11Emily Griffith Technical College, Denver, Colorado
Offers 2 certificates in welding
- Welding awards offered
- 2 certificates and degrees
- Welding awards
- 29 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Pipe · Cutting
12Red Rocks Community College, Lakewood, Colorado
Offers an associate degree and 5 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $4,859 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 3 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Cutting
Tuition and welding awards: NCES College Navigator, 2024–25. Programs and processes: each school's own welding page, reviewed September 2026.
Welding Classes in Colorado: 3 Programs Teach Nights or Weekends
Schedules as each college publishes them. Ask about evening sections and start dates before you apply.
- Pueblo Community CollegeCourse availability: Day, Evening; program start every semester; program length 4 semesters
- Aims Community CollegeWeekdays, weeknights and weekends
- Northeastern Junior CollegeSix start dates a year; courses run in five-week terms; full-time and part-time pathways
- Emily Griffith Technical CollegeWelding 1: full-time Mon-Thu 7:30 AM-4 PM (8 months) or part-time Mon-Thu 5-9 PM (18 months); Welding 2: full-time Mon-Thu 7:30 AM-4 PM (6 months)
- Pickens Technical College2 semesters; Morning 8:40am-11:30am M-F; Afternoon 12:10pm-3:00pm M-F; Evening 5:30pm-10:00pm M-T (post-secondary only)
- Trinidad State CollegeAAS 4 semesters; certificate 2 semesters
More Welding Programs in Colorado: Colleges That Award Welding Credentials
Welding credentials each college conferred in 2022–23 (IPEDS). Confirm current program details with each college.
- Colorado Mountain College, Glenwood Springs21
- Otero College, La Junta18
- Morgan Community College, Fort Morgan10
What Welding School Costs in Colorado: $2,258 to $9,927 a Year
Among the 10 Colorado welding schools with federal figures, 2024–25 tuition and fees for a full-time year range from $2,258 at Aims Community College to $9,927 at Colorado Mesa University. Community colleges publish their in-district rate; students from outside the district or state pay more.
| School | City | Tuition and fees, 2024–25 |
|---|---|---|
| Aims Community College | Greeley | $2,258 (in-district) |
| Pikes Peak State College | Colorado Springs | $4,510 (in-state) |
| Trinidad State College | Trinidad | $4,608 (in-state) |
| Front Range Community College | Fort Collins | $4,663 (in-state) |
| Red Rocks Community College | Lakewood | $4,859 (in-state) |
| Community College of Denver | Denver | $4,902 (in-state) |
The six lowest rates. Source: NCES College Navigator.
Welder Salary in Colorado: The Boulder Area Pays the Most
| Metro area | Median pay | Top 10% earn more than | Welding jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder | $65,040 | $76,200 | 260 |
| Fort Collins–Loveland | $59,660 | $74,130 | 440 |
| Greeley | $59,180 | $76,010 | 730 |
| Denver–Aurora–Centennial | $58,890 | $79,700 | 1,990 |
| Colorado Springs | $55,270 | $95,430 | 470 |
| Grand Junction | $51,580 | $74,620 | 170 |
| Pueblo | $51,190 | $66,560 | 310 |
Welder salary: annual wages for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in Colorado (4,970 jobs); U.S. median $53,750. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Welding Schools by City in Colorado
Welding Schools in Colorado: FAQ
How Much Do Welding Schools in Colorado Cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2024–25 at the Colorado colleges on this page run from $2,258 to $9,927 for residents, before books, tools and protective gear.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Welder in Colorado?
Colorado programs publish awards from short certificates to associate degrees. For example, Front Range Community College lists AAS in Welding (60 credit hours) and Automated Welding and Cutting (28 credit hours); Lincoln College of Technology-Denver lists Welding and Fabrication Technology (720 clock hours) and Welding and Fabrication Technology with Pipe (920 clock hours); Pueblo Community College lists Fitter or Combination Welder Certificate (20 credit hours) and High Pressure Pipe Welder Mini-Certificate (16 credit hours).
How Much Do Welders Make in Colorado?
BLS estimates a median of $58,590 a year for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in Colorado (May 2025), across 4,970 jobs. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $44,100 and the top 10% earn more than $79,700.
What Is the Best Welding School in Colorado?
On federal data for program size, cost and completion, Aims Community College ranks first among Colorado colleges with verified welding programs, followed by Front Range Community College. The best fit depends on the credential you want and the campus you can reach.
Are There Evening Welding Classes in Colorado?
Yes. 3 welding schools in Colorado publish evening or weekend sections, including Pueblo Community College, Aims Community College and Pickens Technical College.
How Many Welding Schools Are in Colorado?
12 schools have a current welding program in Colorado, each checked against the school's own program page, and 9 offer an associate degree.
What Is the Most Affordable Welding School in Colorado?
Aims Community College had the lowest 2024–25 tuition and fees among Colorado welding schools with federal figures: $2,258 for a full-time year (in-district). Pikes Peak State College ($4,510) and Trinidad State College ($4,608) follow.
Which Colorado Welding Schools Offer an Associate Degree?
Aims Community College, Colorado Mesa University and Community College of Denver and 6 more offer a welding associate degree, usually alongside shorter certificates.
Where Can You Test for AWS Certification in Colorado?
Colorado Mesa University, Community College of Denver and Front Range Community College and 4 other schools describe American Welding Society (AWS) testing or certification on their program pages. Each profile shows what the school offers.
Do I Need a Certification to Work as a Welder?
Many employers test welders on their own procedure before hiring. The American Welding Society's Certified Welder program is a performance test with no education or experience prerequisites, taken at an AWS Accredited Test Facility.
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More on Welding in Colorado
Sources
- Official welding program pages of the 12 Colorado colleges above (each college name links to its page), reviewed September 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS completions 2022–23 and College Navigator.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- American Welding Society, Certified Welder program.