How to Become a Welder in Massachusetts
- Train at one of the 1 welding schools in Massachusetts that award welding credentials; a certificate takes months, an associate degree about two years.
- Practice the core processes: SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW, 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: Massachusetts welders earn a median $62,570 a year, with the top 10% above $83,430 (BLS, May 2025).
Where to Train as a Welder in Massachusetts, Starting With Technology Learning Center
| College | Tuition and fees | Welding awards | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technology Learning CenterOxford | 5 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.
Massachusetts Programs That Train Welders
Technology Learning Center, Oxford, Massachusetts
Offers one other award in welding
- Welding awards offered
- 1 certificates and degrees
- Welding awards
- 5 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 Massachusetts, 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. Massachusetts colleges conferred 2 welding certificates and 0 associate degrees in 2022–23.
Learn the Processes Employers Test
Massachusetts programs on this page most often list SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW, oxyacetylene cutting, 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 Massachusetts
Welder Salary in Massachusetts: The Boston Area Pays the Most
| Metro area | Median pay | Top 10% earn more than | Welding jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston–Cambridge–Newton | $63,770 | $83,430 | 2,210 |
| Worcester | $60,320 | $81,400 | 330 |
| Springfield | $56,010 | $73,330 | 220 |
| Providence–Warwick | $52,800 | $81,000 | 2,490 |
Welder salary: annual wages for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in Massachusetts (2,830 jobs); U.S. median $53,750. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
How to Become a Welder in Massachusetts: FAQ
How Long Does It Take to Become a Welder in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts programs publish awards from short certificates to associate degrees. For example, Technology Learning Center lists Welding Technology (620 clock hours).
How Much Do Welders Make in Massachusetts?
BLS estimates a median of $62,570 a year for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in Massachusetts (May 2025), across 2,830 jobs. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $47,720 and the top 10% earn more than $83,430.
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 Massachusetts
Sources
- Official welding program pages of the 1 Massachusetts 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.