Torrance, CaliforniaPublic, 2-Year

El Camino Community College District Welding Program

An associate degree and 5 certificates, $1,144 a year in tuition and fees, with training in stick (SMAW), MIG (GMAW), TIG (GTAW).

What Does El Camino College Offer for Welding Students?

El Camino Community College District in Torrance, California offers an associate degree and 5 certificates in welding. Tuition and fees for 2024–25 were $1,144 for a full-time year (in-state). The school awarded 19 welding credentials in 2024–25. Best for earning a welding degree, not just a certificate.

Welding Degree and Certificates at El Camino College

AwardTypeLength
Welding Associate of Science (AS) DegreeAssociate
Welding Certificate of AchievementCertificate
Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Certificate of AccomplishmentCertificate
Semi-Automatic Welding Certificate of AccomplishmentCertificate
Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) Structural Steel Certificate of AccomplishmentCertificate
Structural Steel Fabrication Certificate of AccomplishmentCertificate

As listed on El Camino College's welding program page, reviewed September 25, 2026.

Pipe Welding in El Camino's Degree

El Camino's Welding AS includes pipe work alongside cutting, arc processes, blueprint reading, and fabrication.

El Camino College Welding Tuition: $1,144 a Year

Tuition and fees
$1,144
in-state, 2024–25
Out of state
$7,630
2024–25
Books and supplies
$2,136
2024–25 estimate
Welding certificates awarded
10
2024–25
Welding associate degrees
9
2024–25
Graduation rate
42%
school-wide, Fall 2021 cohort
Students enrolled
21,664
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 El Camino College

Four short process-specific Certificates of Accomplishment (GTAW, semi-automatic, SMAW structural, structural fabrication) sit beneath the certificate of achievement and A.S.

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

Class Schedule and Certification Testing at El Camino College

Schedule. AS degree typically takes up to two years.

Testing. All El Camino welding assessment follows criteria established by the American Welding Society, the American Petroleum Institute, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the American National Standards Institute.

Where you'll Train: El Camino College

  • El Camino College

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

Visit elcamino.edu

What Welders Earn in California

Across California, the median welder wage is $58,060 a year, from $44,520 at the 10th percentile to $81,940 at the 90th, with 26,060 welders employed. The national median is $53,750. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

5 More Welding Schools Within 19 Miles of Torrance

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

El Camino College Welding FAQ

Does El Camino College Have a Welding Program?

Yes. El Camino College offers an associate degree and 5 certificates in welding at El Camino College. Training covers stick (SMAW), MIG (GMAW), TIG (GTAW), flux-cored (FCAW), pipe welding.

How Much Does Welding School Cost at El Camino College?

El Camino College's 2024–25 tuition and fees were $1,144 for a full-time year (in-state) and $7,630 out of state, with books and supplies estimated at $2,136. Welding students also pay for tools, gear and lab fees.

Does El Camino College Offer Night or Weekend Welding Classes?

AS degree typically takes up to two years.

Can You Get Welding Certified at El Camino College?

All El Camino welding assessment follows criteria established by the American Welding Society, the American Petroleum Institute, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the American National Standards Institute.

How Much Do Welders Make in California?

The median welder wage in California is $58,060 a year, and the middle half earn between $48,480 and $70,400 (BLS, May 2025).

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California · Salary

How Much Do Welders Make in California?

California welders earned a median $58,060 in May 2025. See pay in all 25 metro areas, from $64,320 in San Francisco to $46,850 in Visalia.

More on Welding in California

Sources

  1. elcamino.edu: Welding program page, reviewed September 25, 2026
  2. NCES College Navigator, IPEDS unit 113980
  3. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025