Pasco, WashingtonPublic, 4-Year

Columbia Basin College Welding Program

An associate degree and 2 certificates, $6,555 a year in tuition and fees, with training in stick (SMAW), MIG (GMAW), TIG (GTAW).

What Does Columbia Basin College Offer for Welding Students?

Columbia Basin College in Pasco, Washington offers an associate degree and 2 certificates in welding through its Welding Technology program. Tuition and fees for 2024–25 were $6,555 for a full-time year (in-state). The school awarded 11 welding credentials in 2024–25. Best for earning a welding degree, not just a certificate.

Welding Degree and Certificates at Columbia Basin College

AwardTypeLength
Welding Technology AASAssociatemin. 6 quarters
Welding Technology One-Year CertificateCertificate3-4 quarters
Welding Technology Short-Term CertificateCertificate2 quarters

As listed on Columbia Basin College's welding program page, reviewed September 25, 2026.

Columbia Basin College Welding Tuition: $6,555 a Year

Tuition and fees
$6,555
in-state, 2024–25
Out of state
$8,668
2024–25
Books and supplies
$745
2024–25 estimate
Welding associate degrees
11
2024–25
Graduation rate
33%
school-wide, Fall 2018 cohort
Students enrolled
7,510
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.

Plate, Pipe and Process Training at Columbia Basin College

Cohort-based full-time program where certification is a graduation requirement, with separate structural and piping pathways and up to six qualification tests.

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

Class Schedule and Certification Testing at Columbia Basin College

Schedule. Full-time, in-person cohort model with Fall start (morning, Mon-Fri 6:30 am-2 pm) and Winter start (afternoon, Mon-Fri 11 am-4 pm) cohorts.

Testing. Students have the ability to take at least six welder qualification tests; structural pathway requires one certification to graduate, piping pathway requires structural and piping certifications.

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

Visit columbiabasin.edu

What Welders Earn in Washington

Across Washington, the median welder wage is $63,020 a year, from $47,980 at the 10th percentile to $86,250 at the 90th, with 7,720 welders employed. The national median is $53,750. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

4 More Welding Schools Within 101 Miles of Pasco

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

Columbia Basin College Welding FAQ

Does Columbia Basin College Have a Welding Program?

Yes. Columbia Basin College offers an associate degree and 2 certificates in welding. Training covers stick (SMAW), MIG (GMAW), TIG (GTAW), flux-cored (FCAW), pipe welding.

How Much Does Welding School Cost at Columbia Basin College?

Columbia Basin College's 2024–25 tuition and fees were $6,555 for a full-time year (in-state) and $8,668 out of state, with books and supplies estimated at $745. Welding students also pay for tools, gear and lab fees.

How Long Is the Welding Program at Columbia Basin College?

Welding Technology AAS: min. 6 quarters. Welding Technology One-Year Certificate: 3-4 quarters. Welding Technology Short-Term Certificate: 2 quarters.

Does Columbia Basin College Offer Night or Weekend Welding Classes?

Full-time, in-person cohort model with Fall start (morning, Mon-Fri 6:30 am-2 pm) and Winter start (afternoon, Mon-Fri 11 am-4 pm) cohorts.

Can You Get Welding Certified at Columbia Basin College?

Students have the ability to take at least six welder qualification tests; structural pathway requires one certification to graduate, piping pathway requires structural and piping certifications.

How Much Do Welders Make in Washington?

The median welder wage in Washington is $63,020 a year, and the middle half earn between $54,740 and $73,650 (BLS, May 2025).

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Sources

  1. columbiabasin.edu: Welding Technology program page, reviewed September 25, 2026
  2. NCES College Navigator, IPEDS unit 234979
  3. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025