How to Become a Welder in Mississippi
- Train at one of the 15 welding schools in Mississippi that award welding credentials; a certificate takes months, an associate degree about two years.
- Practice the core processes: SMAW, GTAW, GMAW, 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: Mississippi welders earn a median $51,100 a year, with the top 10% above $64,440 (BLS, May 2025).
Where to Train as a Welder in Mississippi, Starting With East Mississippi Community College
| # | College | Tuition and fees | Welding awards | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Mississippi Community CollegeScooba | $4,095 | 52 certificates, 22 associate | 48% |
| 2 | Mississippi Gulf Coast Community CollegePerkinston | $4,250 | 59 certificates, 8 associate | 48% |
| 3 | Delta Technical College-MississippiHorn Lake | 171 certificates | ||
| 4 | Copiah-Lincoln Community CollegeWesson | $4,000 | 61 certificates | 50% |
| 5 | Pearl River Community CollegePoplarville | $3,700 | 45 certificates, 7 associate | 37% |
| 6 | Coahoma Community CollegeClarksdale | $3,490 | 31 certificates, 1 associate | 41% |
| 7 | Southwest Mississippi Community CollegeSummit | $4,080 | 2 certificates, 13 associate | 56% |
| 8 | Hinds Community CollegeJackson | $4,250 | 114 certificates | 43% |
| 9 | Jones County Junior CollegeEllisville | $4,806 | 46 certificates, 9 associate | 41% |
| 10 | Holmes Community CollegeGoodman | $3,710 | 49 certificates, 1 associate | 39% |
| 11 | Northwest Mississippi Community CollegeSenatobia | $3,740 | 26 certificates | 45% |
| 12 | Meridian Community CollegeMeridian | $4,078 | 44 certificates, 2 associate | 34% |
| 13 | Mississippi Delta Community CollegeMoorhead | $3,540 | 16 certificates | 31% |
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.
Mississippi Programs That Train Welders
Hinds Community College, Jackson, Mississippi
Offers an associate degree and 2 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $4,250 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 114 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Pipe · Cutting
Delta Technical College-Mississippi, Horn Lake, Mississippi
Offers 2 diplomas in welding
- Welding awards offered
- 2 certificates and degrees
- Welding awards
- 171 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Pipe · Fabrication
East Mississippi Community College, Scooba, Mississippi
Offers an associate degree and a certificate in welding
- Tuition / year
- $4,095 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 74 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Pipe · Cutting
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Perkinston, Mississippi
Offers an associate degree, a diploma and a certificate in welding
- Tuition / year
- $4,250 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 67 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Pipe · Cutting
Jones County Junior College, Ellisville, Mississippi
Offers an associate degree and 2 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $4,806 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 55 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Pipe · Cutting
Holmes Community College, Goodman, Mississippi
Offers an associate degree and 2 certificates in welding
- Tuition / year
- $3,710 in-state, 2024–25
- Welding awards
- 50 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · 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 Mississippi, 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. Mississippi colleges conferred 621 welding certificates and 70 associate degrees in 2022–23.
Learn the Processes Employers Test
Mississippi programs on this page most often list SMAW, GTAW, GMAW, FCAW, PIPE, plasma cutting. 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 Mississippi
Welder Salary in Mississippi: The Gulfport Area Pays the Most
| Metro area | Median pay | Top 10% earn more than | Welding jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfport–Biloxi | $63,440 | $63,440 | 2,220 |
| Jackson | $52,220 | $70,180 | 530 |
| Hattiesburg | $49,500 | $88,730 | 160 |
| Memphis | $48,600 | $65,280 | 1,590 |
Welder salary: annual wages for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in Mississippi (6,460 jobs); U.S. median $53,750. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
How to Become a Welder in Mississippi: FAQ
How Much Do Welding Schools in Mississippi Cost?
Full-time tuition and fees for 2024–25 at the Mississippi colleges on this page run from $3,490 to $4,806 for residents, before books, tools and protective gear.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Welder in Mississippi?
Mississippi programs publish awards from short certificates to associate degrees. For example, Hinds Community College lists Associate of Applied Science (60-63 hours) and Career Certificate (30 hours); Delta Technical College-Mississippi lists 7-month Welding Program (30 weeks) and 10-month Welding & Pipefitting Program (40 weeks); Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College lists Welding Certificate (30 credits) and Welding Diploma (15 additional credits).
How Much Do Welders Make in Mississippi?
BLS estimates a median of $51,100 a year for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in Mississippi (May 2025), across 6,460 jobs. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $36,800 and the top 10% earn more than $64,440.
What Is the Best Welding School in Mississippi?
On federal data for program size, cost and completion, East Mississippi Community College ranks first among Mississippi colleges with verified welding programs, followed by Mississippi Gulf Coast 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 Mississippi
Sources
- Official welding program pages of the 13 Mississippi 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.