If you are interested in a lucrative job as a skilled welder, New York is a great place to begin. With a variety of educational opportunities and plenty of job postings, you can easily get your new career underway in the Empire State.
What Does a Welder Do?
Welders work with their hands and a variety of specific heat-generating tools to repair or create metal products, including aircraft, bridges, cars, pipelines, or structures. Tasks for welders include the following:
- Studying blueprints to determine accurate dimensions of material to be welded
- Maintaining needed equipment
- Inspecting metal structures or parts prior to welding
- Controlling and monitoring the heat, flame, and welding materials
- Working in numerous places on a variety of infrastructure
Welding Schools Near Me in New York
Welding jobs usually require a GED or high school diploma. Apprenticeships or vocational training are helpful to learn the necessary skills for welding. The American Welding Society offers certification to verify that you possess the knowledge and skills to safely perform your job as a welder. There are a number of programs in New York that will provide the training you need to start your career as a welder.
Apex Technical School
Apex, a vocational-technical school for adults in Long Island City, Queens, New York, offers seven 900-hour certification options with day and evening course availability.
- Location: Queens
- Phone number: (212) 645-3300
- Programs available: Combination welding technology
- Program duration: 7+ months
- Average cost: $18,400 tuition
SUNY Delhi
SUNY uses modern equipment in a state-of-the-art lab to help adult learners develop welding application skills in tungsten inert gas (TIG), metal inert gas (MIG), and shielded metal arc (SMAW).
- Location: Delhi, NY
- Phone number: (607)745-4000
- Programs available: Associate degree in Welding Technology
- Program duration: 2 years
- Average cost: $8,640 (in-state tuition)
The school offers a variety of adult vocational education programs including welding certification.
- Location: LeRoy, NY
- Phone number: (585) 344-7900
- Programs available: Blueprint reading, pipe welding, and welder certifications
Hudson Valley Community College
Hudson Valley offers a degree program that prepares adult students for welding careers with an emphasis on metal fabrication. Instruction in Metrology, metallurgy, and CAD offers advanced skills that other welding programs do not have.
- Location: Troy, NY
- Phone number: 1-877-325-4822
- Programs available: Associates degree in occupational studies
- Program duration: 2 years
- Average cost: New York residents – $200 per credit hour
This welding school offers basic, intermediate, and advanced courses in welding for all levels of experience.
- Location: Westbury, NY
- Phone number: (516) 997-8586
- Programs available: Gas Selection; Principles of GMAW, SMAW, and TIG; Safety; Welder Settings; Wire Selection
- Program duration: 2 weeks and up
- Average cost: $2,500 per program
City Tech: New York City College of Technology
The division of continuing education at New York City College of Technology offers a Welding Pro Course as well as courses in Tungsten Inert Gas, Advanced Electric Arc, and Basic Electric Arc welding.
- Location: Brooklyn, NY
- Phone number: (718) 552-1170
- Programs available: Basic Electric Arc Welding
- Program duration: 4 weeks
- Average cost: $2,295
While this school does not offer a certification course, it does offer training for students with no welding experience that covers techniques in metal sculpting and basic welding, along with power tool safety information.
- Location: Queens, NY
- Phone number: (718) 707-9655
- Programs available: Introduction to Welding and Metal Sculpting
- Program duration: 5 weeks
- Average cost: $595
The school’s mission is to train and educate individuals with an interest in the welding profession using time-honored practices in theory and hands-on welding applications.
- Location: Schenectady, NY
- Phone number: (518) 374-1216
- Programs available: Electric & acetylene welding, MIG, comprehensive TIG welding, pipe, structural welding, and structural steel
- Program duration: 30 weeks
- Average cost: $19,900
Oswego County BOCES Welding Program
Oswego County’s two-year program helps students achieve the American Welder Society Entry Level Welder Qualification.
- Location: Mexico, NY
- Phone number: (315) 963-4251
- Programs available: Blueprint reading, pipe welding, and welder certifications
- Program duration: 2 years
- Average cost: $8,750 tuition and fees
Welding Career Opportunities in New York
The majority of welders are employed in the manufacturing industry, which provides 61% of welding jobs in the nation. Construction is second with 11% of welding opportunities. The wholesale trade follows with 5%, and other services with the remaining 5%. With a GDP of $1.7 trillion, New York’s economy is the third highest in the nation and would be ranked 12th in the world if it were a separate country. As a major center for manufacturing, New York plays a worldwide role in glass, railroads, elevator parts, and a variety of other products, creating a huge need for welders. The biggest manufacturing hub in New York is in the Five Boroughs, east of Staten Island.
How Much Do Welders Make in New York?
The average base salary for a certificated welder in New York State is $61,536, which is 7% higher than the national average. The highest paying cities for welders in the state include Brooklyn, Westchester, and the Bronx.
Major Employers of Welders in New York
Top welding employers in New York State include the following:
- American Crystal Sugar Company ($74,871): an agricultural cooperative that produces and sells 15% of the country’s sugar, in addition to other agricultural products.
- Superior Skilled Trades ($70,249): provides qualified trade workers for a variety of construction projects in commercial industries.
- Polar Service Centers ($61,516): a one-stop parts and service shop for the tank trailers and trucks industry.
How To Become a Certified Welder in New York
Welding is a time-honored skill, spanning a variety of critical industries. However, the American Welding Society claims that most welders in the United States are 50 years old or more, which will create a shortfall of nearly a half-million skilled welders in the next ten years. In New York, welding schools are partnering with industries to cultivate new interest in welding, including progressive learning opportunities, incentives, apprenticeships, and financial aid.
Do You Need a License to be a Welder in New York?
Licensing is required for welders in New York State. There are four required steps to go through to get a NY welding license.
- Meet required criteria. Prior to sitting for the required welding exam, potential welders must be 18 years old with strong moral character and the ability to read and write in English.
- Take the exam. There are two major examinations for licensure in New York; you may choose which is the best option for you between the American Welding Society (AWS) Manual certification or the New York State Department of Transportation Field Welder Certification Manual certification.
- Complete a background check. Paperwork must be submitted to the Licensing and Exams Unit, including the following documents:
- Birth certificate
- Certification card from one of the exams
- Child support certification documentation
- DPL1 Form
- Driver’s license
- LIC62 Form
- Marriage Certificate
- Proof of Residence
- Social Security Card
- Visual Acuity Test documentation
- Obtain the licensing card. Once the department has verified your qualifying criteria, it will send you a letter with the next steps to procure your license.
New York Welding FAQs
The following questions are asked frequently by those pursuing welding as a new career.
1. How Long Does It Take to Become a Welder?
The skills required in welding are developed through intense training with a knowledgeable instructor. The hands-on aspects of the profession require practice, patience, and time. Most welding students undergo between 7 months and 2 years of instruction.
2. Does a Welder Need Insurance in New York?
New York state requires general liability insurance for most business owners in order to protect against direct or indirect damages. Get a FREE business insurance quote below from one of our trusted partners:
3. Who Can I Contact If I Have Questions?
If you have questions in the New York area, you can contact the Union Ironworkers, located at 35-23 36th Street, Astoria, NY 11106. The email contact is info@nycironworkers.org and the phone number is (718)433-4195.
At the national level, The American Welding Society can answer questions at their toll-free line 800-443-9353 between the hours of 8-7 EST Monday through Friday.
For More License and Career Guides
To find out how to become a Welder in another state, start here.
For information on other trades in New York, click on a link below to learn more about the licensing requirements:
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