How to Become a Welder in Kentucky
- Train at one of the 17 welding schools in Kentucky that award welding credentials; a certificate takes months, an associate degree about two years.
- Practice the core processes: GMAW, SMAW, GTAW, oxy-fuel, 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: Kentucky welders earn a median $51,470 a year, with the top 10% above $69,010 (BLS, May 2025).
Where to Train as a Welder in Kentucky, Starting With Elizabethtown Community and Technical College
| # | College | Tuition and fees | Welding awards | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elizabethtown Community and Technical CollegeElizabethtown | $4,728 | 370 certificates, 10 associate | 59% |
| 2 | Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical CollegeBowling Green | $4,728 | 406 certificates, 9 associate | 58% |
| 3 | Gateway Community and Technical CollegeFlorence | $4,728 | 313 certificates, 11 associate | 59% |
| 4 | Maysville Community and Technical CollegeMaysville | $4,728 | 754 certificates | 56% |
| 5 | Owensboro Community and Technical CollegeOwensboro | $4,728 | 296 certificates, 5 associate | 54% |
| 6 | Bluegrass Community and Technical CollegeLexington | $4,808 | 520 certificates, 15 associate | 43% |
| 7 | Madisonville Community CollegeMadisonville | $4,728 | 101 certificates, 5 associate | 49% |
| 8 | West Kentucky Community and Technical CollegePaducah | $4,728 | 308 certificates | 50% |
| 9 | Somerset Community CollegeSomerset | $4,728 | 340 certificates | 43% |
| 10 | Ashland Community and Technical CollegeAshland | $4,728 | 225 certificates | 51% |
| 11 | Jefferson Community and Technical CollegeLouisville | $4,808 | 328 certificates, 5 associate | 35% |
| 12 | Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical CollegeCumberland | $4,728 | 244 certificates | 47% |
| 13 | Big Sandy Community and Technical CollegePrestonsburg | $4,728 | 84 certificates, 5 associate | 38% |
| 14 | Hazard Community and Technical CollegeHazard | $4,728 | 108 certificates | 48% |
| 15 | Hopkinsville Community CollegeHopkinsville | $4,728 | 142 certificates | 45% |
| 16 | Campbellsville UniversityCampbellsville | $27,998 | 1 certificate | 42% |
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.
Kentucky Programs That Train Welders
Bluegrass Community and Technical College, Lexington, Kentucky
Offers an associate degree, a diploma and 8 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $4,808 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 535 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Cutting · Fabrication
Maysville Community and Technical College, Maysville, Kentucky
Offers an associate degree, a diploma and 11 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $4,728 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 754 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Pipe · Cutting
Gateway Community and Technical College, Florence, Kentucky
Offers an associate degree, a diploma and 16 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $4,728 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 324 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Pipe · Cutting
Owensboro Community and Technical College, Owensboro, Kentucky
Offers an associate degree, a diploma and 18 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $4,728 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 301 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Pipe · Fabrication · Robotic
West Kentucky Community and Technical College, Paducah, Kentucky
Offers an associate degree, a diploma and 8 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $4,728 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 308 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Cutting
Jefferson Community and Technical College, Louisville, Kentucky
Offers an associate degree, a diploma and 8 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $4,808 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 333 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · 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 Kentucky, 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. Kentucky colleges conferred 3,119 welding certificates and 58 associate degrees in 2022–23.
Learn the Processes Employers Test
Kentucky programs on this page most often list GMAW, SMAW, GTAW, oxy-fuel, PIPE, blueprint reading. 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 Kentucky
Welder Salary in Kentucky: The Elizabethtown Area Pays the Most
| Metro area | Median pay | Top 10% earn more than | Welding jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown | $59,900 | $71,100 | 660 |
| Lexington–Fayette | $53,680 | $66,300 | 480 |
| Bowling Green | $53,630 | $59,820 | 400 |
| Clarksville | $52,970 | $62,500 | 490 |
| Cincinnati | $51,990 | $73,970 | 3,160 |
| Owensboro | $51,700 | $60,170 | 410 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $50,870 | $70,360 | 1,790 |
| Paducah | $48,560 | $66,580 | 310 |
| Huntington–Ashland | $46,980 | $71,310 | 550 |
Welder salary: annual wages for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in Kentucky (6,630 jobs); U.S. median $53,750. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
How to Become a Welder in Kentucky: FAQ
How Much Do Welding Schools in Kentucky Cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2024–25 at the Kentucky colleges on this page run from $4,728 to $27,998 for residents, before books, tools and protective gear.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Welder in Kentucky?
Kentucky programs publish awards from short certificates to associate degrees. For example, Bluegrass Community and Technical College lists Welding Technology AAS (60-68 credit hours) and Combination Welder Diploma (48-55 credit hours); Maysville Community and Technical College lists Combination Welder Diploma (48-55 credit hours); Gateway Community and Technical College lists Welding Technology AAS (63-68 credit hours) and Combination Welder Diploma (48-55 credit hours).
How Much Do Welders Make in Kentucky?
BLS estimates a median of $51,470 a year for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in Kentucky (May 2025), across 6,630 jobs. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $39,300 and the top 10% earn more than $69,010.
What Is the Best Welding School in Kentucky?
On federal data for program size, cost and completion, Elizabethtown Community and Technical College ranks first among Kentucky colleges with verified welding programs, followed by Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical 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 Kentucky
Sources
- Official welding program pages of the 16 Kentucky 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.