Chester, VirginiaPublic, 2-Year

Brightpoint Community College Welding Program

2 certificates, $5,082 a year in tuition and fees, with training in stick (SMAW), MIG (GMAW), TIG (GTAW).

What Does Brightpoint Community College Offer for Welding Students?

Brightpoint Community College in Chester, Virginia offers 2 certificates in welding through its Welding Certificate program. Tuition and fees for 2024–25 were $5,082 for a full-time year (in-state). The school awarded 58 welding credentials in 2024–25. Best for a fast start in welding with a certificate.

2 Welding Certificates at Brightpoint Community College

AwardTypeLength
Welding CertificateCertificate30 credits
Welding, CSCCertificate19 credits

As listed on Brightpoint Community College's welding program page, reviewed September 25, 2026.

Brightpoint Community College Welding Tuition: $5,082 a Year

Tuition and fees
$5,082
in-state, 2024–25
Out of state
$11,520
2024–25
Books and supplies
$1,470
2024–25 estimate
Welding certificates awarded
58
2024–25
Graduation rate
38%
school-wide, Fall 2021 cohort
Students enrolled
9,380
school-wide, Fall 2024

Tuition and fees are for a full-time year. Awards count welding credentials conferred. Graduation rate and enrollment cover the whole school. Source: NCES College Navigator.

What you'll Learn in Brightpoint Community College's Welding Program

Brightpoint's Chester-campus welding certificate ends with welder qualification testing and an AWS SENSE EDU-1 fabrication project, and its CSC can feed a registered-apprenticeship track through the Brightpoint Apprenticeship Academy.

  • Stick (SMAW)
  • MIG (GMAW)
  • TIG (GTAW)
  • Flux-cored (FCAW)
  • Oxy-fuel and plasma cutting
  • Fabrication and blueprint reading

Class Schedule and Certification Testing at Brightpoint Community College

Schedule. Described as a one-year program.

Testing. Students may earn American Welding Society certifications.

Where you'll Train: Chester Campus

  • Chester Campus

Check start dates, admission steps and the current course list on Brightpoint Community College's own site.

Visit brightpoint.edu

What Welders Earn in Virginia

Across Virginia, the median welder wage is $59,180 a year, from $42,520 at the 10th percentile to $79,630 at the 90th, with 10,100 welders employed. The national median is $53,750. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

5 More Welding Schools Within 76 Miles of Chester

Straight-line distance between campuses. All welding schools in Virginia

Brightpoint Community College Welding FAQ

Does Brightpoint Community College Have a Welding Program?

Yes. Brightpoint Community College offers 2 certificates in welding at Chester Campus. Training covers stick (SMAW), MIG (GMAW), TIG (GTAW), flux-cored (FCAW), oxy-fuel and plasma cutting.

How Much Does Welding School Cost at Brightpoint Community College?

Brightpoint Community College's 2024–25 tuition and fees were $5,082 for a full-time year (in-state) and $11,520 out of state, with books and supplies estimated at $1,470. Welding students also pay for tools, gear and lab fees.

How Long Is the Welding Program at Brightpoint Community College?

Welding Certificate: 30 credits. Welding, CSC: 19 credits.

Does Brightpoint Community College Offer Night or Weekend Welding Classes?

Described as a one-year program.

Can You Get Welding Certified at Brightpoint Community College?

Students may earn American Welding Society certifications.

How Much Do Welders Make in Virginia?

The median welder wage in Virginia is $59,180 a year, and the middle half earn between $49,020 and $65,400 (BLS, May 2025).

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How Much Do Welders Make in Virginia?

Virginia welders earned a $59,180 median in May 2025, $28.45 an hour. See pay in Hampton Roads, Richmond, Roanoke and more, plus related welding careers.

More on Welding in Virginia

Sources

  1. brightpoint.edu: Welding Certificate program page, reviewed September 25, 2026
  2. NCES College Navigator, IPEDS unit 232450
  3. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025