How to Become a Welder in Colorado
- Train at one of the 15 welding schools in Colorado that award welding credentials; a certificate takes months, an associate degree about two years.
- Practice the core processes: SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, oxyacetylene, plus blueprint reading and cutting.
- Pass a weld test: an employer's procedure test or the AWS Certified Welder test at an accredited facility.
- Start work: Colorado welders earn a median $58,590 a year, with the top 10% above $79,700 (BLS, May 2025).
Where to Train as a Welder in Colorado, Starting With Aims Community College
| # | 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% |
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.
Colorado Programs That Train Welders
Front 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
Lincoln 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
Pueblo 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
Aims 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
Pikes 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
Community 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
Tuition and welding awards: NCES College Navigator, 2024–25. Programs and processes: each school's own welding page, reviewed September 2026.
How to Become a Welder in Colorado, Step by Step
Pick a Certificate or an Associate Degree
A certificate concentrates on shop time and gets you to entry-level work fastest. An associate degree adds advanced processes, metallurgy, inspection and general education, which helps if you're aiming for pipe work, inspection or supervision later. Colorado colleges conferred 1,902 welding certificates and 114 associate degrees in 2022–23.
Learn the Processes Employers Test
Colorado programs on this page most often list SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, oxyacetylene, blueprint reading, PIPE. Structural work leans on stick and flux-core; pipe and precision work add TIG.
Pass a Weld Test
The AWS Certified Welder program tests you on a specific procedure and code at an AWS Accredited Test Facility, with no education or experience prerequisites. Many employers run their own procedure test instead, so ask which one the jobs you want require.
Build Experience and Pay
Pay grows with the processes and positions you can pass tests in. After years on the job, some welders move into inspection through the AWS Certified Welding Inspector program, which requires work experience plus three exams.
Compare welding careers · Welding certification guide · Compare welding schools in Colorado
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.
How to Become a Welder 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.
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.