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State-by-State Guide

Welding Schools by State

Every state's welding training in one table: how many colleges award welding credentials, how many graduates they produce, how many programs we've verified, and what welders earn there.

By the Best Welding School editorial teamUpdated September 28, 2026

A welder in yellow gloves stick-welding a joint on a large steel pipe as sparks fall
Photo: Sergei Starostin / Pexels

Where Are the Most Welding Schools?

  • Texas, Georgia and Kentucky award the most welding certificates and degrees (IPEDS 2022–23).
  • Nationally, 892 colleges awarded 50,572 welding credentials that year.
  • Welders earn a national median of $53,750; Alaska has the highest state median, $80,840 (BLS, May 2025).

Welding Schools by State: Training and Pay

StateCollegesWelding awardsVerified programsWelder median pay
Alabama171,22612$48,490
Alaska51175$80,840
Arizona151,17913$55,600
Arkansas261,57424$47,970
California642,58043$58,060
Colorado152,01612$58,590
Connecticut32053$64,880
Delaware00$57,270
District of Columbia00$60,180
Florida492,19936$50,640
Georgia243,23019$48,430
Hawaii2362$79,000
Idaho71707$50,530
Illinois422,36840$51,320
Indiana35973$49,730
Iowa1596412$55,090
Kansas251,16412$49,410
Kentucky173,17716$51,470
Louisiana141,59612$62,250
Maine5655$62,220
Maryland21282$60,310
Massachusetts121$62,570
Michigan3076216$49,990
Minnesota2063512$60,280
Mississippi1569113$51,100
Missouri1341813$51,950
Montana1019010$55,610
Nebraska63676$52,220
Nevada53114$61,520
New Hampshire3833$62,360
New Jersey73357$59,440
New Mexico1428612$59,840
New York1245212$59,140
North Carolina582,27339$50,590
North Dakota71767$62,000
Ohio531,27029$50,340
Oklahoma291,41812$49,720
Oregon1456713$59,450
Pennsylvania3975926$52,900
Puerto Rico34482
Rhode Island00$50,580
South Carolina161,35912$49,980
South Dakota41354$49,440
Tennessee271,20224$48,040
Texas677,79743$53,340
Utah1045410$58,380
Vermont1921$60,890
Virginia2086313$59,180
Washington2269913$63,020
West Virginia129212$48,810
Wisconsin171,64913$58,410
Wyoming71967$63,820

Colleges and awards: IPEDS completions 2022–23, CIP 48.0508 (welding technology/welder), certificates and associate degrees. Verified programs: official program pages we reviewed in September 2026 (667 so far). Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, welders, cutters, solderers and brazers. Blank cells mean no figure in that source for the state.

Welding Certification by State: One National Test

The AWS Certified Welder credential is national: you test to the AWS QC47 specification at an Accredited Test Facility, and a Certified Welding Inspector checks the weld. There are no school or experience prerequisites. BLS notes that some states and localities also license welders, and requirements vary, so check with the city or state where you'll work. See our welding certification guide.

States That Train the Most Welders

Ten states account for a large share of the country's welding certificates and degrees. Texas alone awarded 7,797, more than twice as many as Georgia, the next state. California has nearly as many welding colleges as Texas (64 against 67) but awarded 2,580 credentials.

StateCollegesCertificatesAssociate degreesVerified programs
Texas677,24455343
Georgia243,230019
Kentucky173,1195816
California642,31426643
Illinois422,26210640
North Carolina582,02524839
Florida492,04515436
Colorado151,90211412
Wisconsin171,6193013
Louisiana141,596012

IPEDS completions 2022–23, CIP 48.0508. Certificates include all certificate levels. Verified programs: official program pages reviewed September 2026.

Certificates dominate: of the 50,572 welding awards nationally, 47,148 were certificates and 3,422 associate degrees. Short credentials are the main way people train for welding jobs.

Where Welders Earn the Most

Pay varies more by state than training does. These states have the highest median wage for welders, cutters, solderers and brazers, compared with the national median of $53,750:

StateMedian payWelding awards, 2022–23Verified programs
Alaska$80,8401175
Hawaii$79,000362
Connecticut$64,8802053
Wyoming$63,8201967
Washington$63,02069913
Massachusetts$62,57021
New Hampshire$62,360833
Louisiana$62,2501,59612
Maine$62,220655
North Dakota$62,0001767

BLS OEWS May 2025, welders, cutters, solderers and brazers. Blank cells mean no verified program in that state yet.

The highest-paying states aren't the ones training the most welders. Check pay in the metro where you plan to work on our welder salary by state page.

Where You Can Get AWS Certified on Campus

31 verified welding programs say their campus is an AWS Accredited Test Facility, so students can test for the AWS Certified Welder credential without leaving school. They're spread across 20 states:

AWS keeps the complete, current list of test facilities. Our welding certification guide explains what each facility's test covers.

How to Compare Welding Schools in Your State

  • Start with your state page. Each one lists verified programs with tuition, completions and graduation rates from NCES.
  • Check the program page. Confirm the campus, award, processes taught and schedule on the school's official welding page, linked from each school profile.
  • Ask about testing. Find out whether you can test for AWS certification on campus and whether the fee is included.
  • Check your state's aid deadline. State grants use the FAFSA and many have early deadlines; our financial aid guide lists them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which State Has the Most Welding Schools?

Texas had the most welding completions in 2022–23, 7,797 certificates and degrees from 67 institutions (IPEDS). Georgia and Kentucky followed.

Which State Pays Welders the Most?

Alaska has the highest state median for welders, cutters, solderers and brazers at $80,840, followed by Hawaii ($79,000) and Connecticut ($64,880), per BLS May 2025.

Is Welding Certification the Same in Every State?

AWS Certified Welder credentials are national and follow the AWS QC47 specification wherever you test. BLS notes some states and localities also license welders, and requirements vary.

Which States Have AWS Test Facilities at Welding Schools?

Among verified programs, Florida has the most schools that say they're AWS Accredited Test Facilities (4), and 31 schools across 20 states say the same. AWS keeps the complete, current list of facilities.

How Many Welding Schools Are There in the U.S.?

892 colleges awarded welding certificates or degrees in 2022–23, per IPEDS, for a total of 50,572 awards. 47,148 of those awards were certificates.

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Sources

  1. National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS completions 2022–23, CIP 48.0508.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
  3. American Welding Society, Certified Welder program.
  4. Official welding program pages reviewed September 2026, linked from each school profile.
  5. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook.