How to Become a Welder in New Jersey
- Train at one of the 7 welding schools in New Jersey that award welding credentials; a certificate takes months, an associate degree about two years.
- Practice the core processes: SMAW, GMAW, 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: New Jersey welders earn a median $59,440 a year, with the top 10% above $81,760 (BLS, May 2025).
Where to Train as a Welder in New Jersey, Starting With Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield
| # | College | Tuition and fees | Welding awards | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lincoln Technical Institute-South PlainfieldSouth Plainfield | 121 certificates | ||
| 2 | Universal Technical Institute-BloomfieldBloomfield | 118 certificates | ||
| 3 | Lincoln Technical Institute-MahwahMahwah | 77 certificates | ||
| 4 | Burlington County Institute of Technology-Adult EducationMedford | 23 certificates | ||
| 5 | Hohokus School of Trade and Technical SciencesPaterson | 19 certificates | ||
| 6 | Bergen Community CollegeParamus | $4,913 | 3 certificates | 21% |
| 7 | Ocean County Vocational-Technical SchoolJackson | 1 certificate |
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.
New Jersey Programs That Train Welders
Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield, South Plainfield, New Jersey
Offers a certificate in welding
- Welding awards offered
- 1 certificates and degrees
- Welding awards
- 121 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Pipe · Cutting
Lincoln Technical Institute-Mahwah, Mahwah, New Jersey
Offers a certificate in welding
- Welding awards offered
- 1 certificates and degrees
- Welding awards
- 77 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Pipe · Fabrication
Universal Technical Institute-Bloomfield, Bloomfield, New Jersey
Offers one other award in welding
- Welding awards offered
- 1 certificates and degrees
- Welding awards
- 118 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Pipe · Fabrication
Hohokus School of Trade and Technical Sciences, Paterson, New Jersey
Offers a diploma in welding
- Welding awards offered
- 1 certificates and degrees
- Welding awards
- 19 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Cutting · Fabrication
Burlington County Institute of Technology-Adult Education, Medford, New Jersey
Offers 2 other awards in welding
- Welding awards offered
- 2 certificates and degrees
- Welding awards
- 23 conferred 2024–25
Teaches Stick · MIG · TIG · Flux-cored · Cutting · Fabrication
Ocean County Vocational-Technical School, Jackson, New Jersey
Offers one other award in welding
- Welding awards offered
- 1 certificates and degrees
- Welding awards
- 1 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 New Jersey, 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. New Jersey colleges conferred 335 welding certificates and 0 associate degrees in 2022–23.
Learn the Processes Employers Test
New Jersey programs on this page most often list SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, FCAW, fabrication, 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 New Jersey
Welder Salary in New Jersey: The New York Area Pays the Most
For pay by metro area and by welding job, see Welder Salary in New Jersey.
| Metro area | Median pay | Top 10% earn more than | Welding jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York–Newark–Jersey City | $61,680 | $95,920 | 5,780 |
| Atlantic City–Hammonton | $60,880 | $90,630 | 90 |
| Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington | $58,380 | $79,960 | 4,630 |
| Allentown–Bethlehem–Easton | $54,790 | $74,820 | 860 |
| Trenton–Princeton | $54,640 | $82,880 | 180 |
| Vineland | $53,000 | $68,910 | 70 |
Welder salary: annual wages for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in New Jersey (3,730 jobs); U.S. median $53,750. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
How to Become a Welder in New Jersey: FAQ
How Long Does It Take to Become a Welder in New Jersey?
New Jersey programs publish awards from short certificates to associate degrees. For example, Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield lists Welding and Fabrication Technology with Pipe Certificate (WLDX210) (40.0 semester credit hours (960 instructional hours)); Lincoln Technical Institute-Mahwah lists Welding and Fabrication Technology with Pipe Certificate (WLDX210) (40 semester credit hours (960 instructional hours)); Universal Technical Institute-Bloomfield lists Welding Technology program (36 weeks (12 courses)).
How Much Do Welders Make in New Jersey?
BLS estimates a median of $59,440 a year for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers in New Jersey (May 2025), across 3,730 jobs. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $43,290 and the top 10% earn more than $81,760.
What Is the Best Welding School in New Jersey?
On federal data for program size, cost and completion, Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield ranks first among New Jersey colleges with verified welding programs, followed by Universal Technical Institute-Bloomfield. 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 New Jersey
Sources
- Official welding program pages of the 7 New Jersey 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.