How to Become a Welder in Kansas
- Train at one of the 25 welding schools in Kansas that award welding credentials; a certificate takes months, an associate degree about two years.
- Practice the core processes: GMAW, SMAW, GTAW, FCAW, 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: Kansas welders earn a median $49,410 a year, with the top 10% above $66,680 (BLS, May 2025).
Where to Train as a Welder in Kansas, Starting With Hutchinson Community College
| # | College | Tuition and fees | Welding awards | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hutchinson Community CollegeHutchinson | $3,540 | 85 certificates, 7 associate | 53% |
| 2 | Cowley County Community CollegeArkansas City | $4,800 | 85 certificates, 10 associate | 45% |
| 3 | Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and TechnologyWichita | $7,238 | 186 certificates, 27 associate | 43% |
| 4 | Northwest Kansas Technical College (now Fort Hays Tech | Northwest)Goodland | 81 certificates, 11 associate | ||
| 5 | Johnson County Community CollegeOverland Park | $2,424 | 66 certificates, 15 associate | 31% |
| 6 | Washburn Institute of TechnologyTopeka | $8,880 | 106 certificates | 68% |
| 7 | Salina Area Technical CollegeSalina | $7,128 | 48 certificates, 2 associate | 68% |
| 8 | Neosho County Community CollegeChanute | $5,780 | 106 certificates | 34% |
| 9 | Barton County Community CollegeGreat Bend | $3,680 | 56 certificates, 2 associate | 33% |
| 10 | Fort Scott Community CollegeFort Scott | $3,390 | 48 certificates | 35% |
| 11 | Kansas City Kansas Community CollegeKansas City | $3,210 | 40 certificates | 42% |
| 12 | Heartland Welding AcademyAndover | 46 certificates |
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.
Kansas Programs That Train Welders
Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology, Wichita, Kansas
Offers an associate degree and 2 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $7,238 all students, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 213 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored
Neosho County Community College, Chanute, Kansas
Offers an associate degree and 2 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $5,780 all students, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 106 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Pipe · Cutting
Washburn Institute of Technology, Topeka, Kansas
Offers an associate degree and 2 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $8,880 all students, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 106 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Cutting · Fabrication
Cowley County Community College, Arkansas City, Kansas
Offers an associate degree and 2 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $4,800 in-district, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 95 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Pipe · Cutting · Fabrication · Inspection
Northwest Kansas Technical College (Now Fort Hays Tech | Northwest), Goodland, Kansas
Offers an associate degree and 2 certificates in welding
- Welding awards offered
- 3 certificates and degrees
- Welding awards
- 92 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Pipe · Cutting
Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, Kansas
Offers an associate degree and a certificate in welding
- Tuition / year
- $2,424 in-district, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 81 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Cutting · Fabrication
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 Kansas, 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. Kansas colleges conferred 1,085 welding certificates and 79 associate degrees in 2022–23.
Learn the Processes Employers Test
Kansas programs on this page most often list GMAW, SMAW, GTAW, FCAW, 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 Kansas
Welder Salary in Kansas: The St. Joseph Area Pays the Most
| Metro area | Median pay | Top 10% earn more than | Welding jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph | $66,060 | $66,060 | 610 |
| Kansas City | $57,370 | $78,150 | 2,710 |
| Wichita | $54,190 | $71,890 | 1,460 |
| Topeka | $51,390 | $71,510 | 330 |
| Manhattan | $50,550 | $62,780 | 180 |
| Lawrence | $48,180 | $64,050 | 70 |
| Joplin | $45,770 | $60,930 | 570 |
Welder salary: annual wages for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in Kansas (6,370 jobs); U.S. median $53,750. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
How to Become a Welder in Kansas: FAQ
How Much Do Welding Schools in Kansas Cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2024–25 at the Kansas colleges on this page run from $2,424 to $8,880 for residents, before books, tools and protective gear.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Welder in Kansas?
Kansas programs publish awards from short certificates to associate degrees. For example, Neosho County Community College lists Level 1 Certificate (16 credit hours) and Level 2 Certificate (32 credit hours); Washburn Institute of Technology lists Cert A (25 credit hours) and Cert C (49 credit hours); Barton County Community College lists Welding Technology, Associate in Applied Science (64 credit hours) and Welding Technology Certificate (38 credit hours).
How Much Do Welders Make in Kansas?
BLS estimates a median of $49,410 a year for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in Kansas (May 2025), across 6,370 jobs. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $37,790 and the top 10% earn more than $66,680.
What Is the Best Welding School in Kansas?
On federal data for program size, cost and completion, Hutchinson Community College ranks first among Kansas colleges with verified welding programs, followed by Cowley County 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 Kansas
Sources
- Official welding program pages of the 12 Kansas 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.