Ayn Rand wrote in “Atlas Shrugged” about “the fire of the gods, tamed at man’s fingertips.” There’s no better way to describe welding. This innovative career is for you if you like the idea of building infrastructure that will last for decades, you should definitely consider attending one of the fine welding schools in Washington to train to be a welder.
What Does a Welder Do?
Welders work with metal and fire. They cut, join, and form metal into any number of shapes and sizes to build boats, fit pipes, and manufacture airplane parts. In Washington, some of the five largest industries in the state employ welders, including aerospace and construction, and food and agriculture.
Welding Schools Near Me in Washington
There are many strong welding schools in Washington for you to choose from. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best.
Bates Technical College
Bates offers many levels of welding training and is an AWS- and WABO-certified testing site.
- Location: Tacoma
- Phone number: 253-680-7400
- Programs available: Associate’s in Welding, Welder Certificate of Competency, Welder I Certificate of Training, Welder II Certificate of Training
- Program duration: six to 20 months
- Average cost: $3,857 to $13,500 plus books and supplies
Big Bend Community College
Big Bend has an amazing set of resources in its “Choose Your Career” center, which helps you figure out what you want to be when you grow up.
- Location: Moses Lake
- Phone number: 509-793-2072
- Programs available: Associate’s degree with a concentration in either Structural Welding, Production Welding, or Pipe Welding; Welding Certificate of Achievement; Welding Certificate of Accomplishment
- Program duration: one to two years
- Average cost: $3,344 to $4,343
Everett Community College
EvCC goes one step beyond other welding programs; it trains students in heavy plate, sheet metal, pipefitting and pipe systems, and structural steel fabrication.
- Location: Everett
- Phone number: 425-388-9570
- Programs available: Associate in Technical Arts Degree Welding, ATA Degree in Advanced Manufacturing Technology – Welding & Fabrication, Certificate in Welding, TIG Welding Certificate, Entry Level Welding Certificate
- Program duration: four months to two years
- Average cost: $1,554 to $8,524
Clover Park Technical College
CPT’s Running Start program allows high school juniors and seniors to take college courses for credit.
- Location: Lakewood
- Phone number: 253-589-5800
- Programs available: Welding Technology Degree (AAT or AAS-T), Certificates in Basic Welding, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) Pipe, Layout & Fabrication Welding, Shielded Metal Arc Welding, Shielded Metal Arc Welding Pipe, and Wire Feed Welding
- Program duration: four to 16 months
- Average cost: $2,696 to $7,311
Bellingham Technical College
Bellingham is one of only three AWS-certified testing facilities in the state of Washington.
- Location: Bellingham
- Phone number: 360-752-7000
- Programs available: AAS or AAS-T in Welding & Fabrication, specializing in either structural steel fabrication or pipe welding, Basic Welding Skills Certificate
- Program duration: nine to 21 months
- Average cost: $7,851 to $17,521
Clark College
Clark College is a certified AWS and WABO testing site.
- Location: Vancouver
- Phone number: 360-699-6398
- Programs available: AAT-Welding Technologies, CP-Welding Technician, CA-Gas Tungsten Arc Welding. CA-Shielded Metal Arc Welding. CA-Flux Core Arc Welding, and CA-Gas Metal Arc Welding
- Program duration: six to 18 months
- Average cost: $2,647 to $10,173
Green River College
Green River is a WABO-approved testing site. Its AAS in Welding is designed to have the student ready to take both the WABO and AWS exams for certification.
- Location: Auburn
- Phone number: 253-833-9111
- Programs available: AAS in Welding Technology, Certificates in Basic Arc and Flame, Intermediate Arc and Flame, and Advanced Arc Welding
- Program duration: one to two years
- Average cost: $3,476 to $11,263, including books
Grays Harbor College
Grays Harbor offers a wide variety of degrees and certificates. It’s also a WABO-approved testing site.
- Location: Aberdeen
- Phone number: 360-532-9020
- Programs available: AT in Welding Technology, specializing in Construction Welding, Pipe Welding, or Structural Welding; Certificates of Accomplishment in All Position Pipe Welding, Industrial Welding, Open Root Pipe Welding, Pipe Welding Basics, Welding Basics Levels 1 and 2; Certificate of Completion in Welding Technology
- Program duration: one to two years
- Average cost: $3,476 to $11,263, including books
Welding Career Opportunities in Washington
After graduating from one of those welding schools in Washington, you’ve got a variety of careers open to you. You could be a MIG welder, TIG welder, Pipefitter, Machinist, Fabricator, Certified Welding Inspector, Ironworker, or Millwright.
How Much Do Welders Make in Washington?
Indeed reports that the average hourly wage for welders in Washington is $23.54 per hour. That works out to $3,549 per month and $50,121 per year. With only one to two years of experience, you can expect to earn $21.48 per hour, which comes to $3,238 per month or $45,734 per year. Once you’ve got ten years of experience under your belt, you can command wages of $26.90 per hour, which adds up to $4,055 per month or $57,269 per year.
However, Indeed does have jobs listed for well over those rates; some go as high as $80,000 to $90,000 per year.
Major Employers of Welders in Washington
People pursuing welding careers in Washington have many opportunities to choose from. Some of the companies that hire welders include the following:
- Schnitzer Steel, which is a leader in the scrap metal industries, pays welders $47,840 to $58,250 per year.
- IMAC INC, which specializes in heavy industrial construction, pays its welders $62,400 to $83,200 per year.
- Thompson Metal Fab, which fabricates machinery for large-scale hydro projects, pays welders $57,866 to $66,394 every year.
- S3 Maritime, which builds high-tech marine systems and installs them into cutting-edge yachts, pays welders $49,920 to $93,600.
- Harbor Steel Fabrication, which makes custom stairs, railings, fences, gates, and canopies, pays welders $41,600 to $72,800 per year.
How To Become a Certified Welder in Washington
To start your journey to becoming a welder, you only have to have a GED or high school diploma to start. Then you should attend one of the welding schools in Washington listed above for instruction and training.
Once you’ve finished your education, there are a few different routes to certification in Washington. The first is through the Washington Association of Building Officials. WABO certifies welders to ensure a standard of competency in the industry. Many welding careers in Washington rely on having a WABO certification.
The other ways to certification are through the AWS and ASME. These national organizations have set the standards for welders since 1919 and 1880, respectively. These certifications carry a lot of weight with many employers.
You can certainly try to make a go of a career in welding without certification, but your job prospects may be severely limited if you do.
Do You Need a License to be a Welder in Washington?
No, there’s no state-wide license to be a welder in Washington. Between WABO, the AWS, and the ASME, there are enough training certifications in place that it’s not necessary for the state to regulate the industry.
Washington Welding FAQs
If you want to know how to become a welder in Washington, you may have many questions. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions.
1. How Long Does It Take to Become a Welder?
If you’re starting from having a high school diploma or GED, you can earn a welding certificate from welding schools in Washington in just a few months. You might want to stay longer, though, and earn your Associate’s degree in welding, so you can learn more techniques and positions, making you more employable after you graduate.
2. Does a Welder Need Insurance in Washington?
If you’re going solo as a welder rather than signing on with a company, you should get both workers’ compensation and commercial liability insurance. Workers’ comp will pay your medical bills if you’re injured at work; most private health insurance companies won’t cover on-the-job injuries. It will also pay you lost wages for the time you have to spend recovering.
Commercial liability insurance kicks in when you accidentally hurt someone else or damage their property. Think of it as malpractice insurance for welders.
You can easily request a free commercial insurance quote from our partners using the tool below.
3. Who Can I Contact If I Have Questions?
Whenever you have questions about how to become a welder in Washington, there are several resources you could reach out to.
- You can contact any of the welding schools listed above.
- You could reach out to WABO at 360-628-8669.
- You might call the AWS at 800-443-9353.
- You may touch base with the ASME at 800-843-2763
Welding schools in Washington are there to help you kick off your career in welding. You’ll learn the basics, then the not-so basics. You’ll learn about safety and security while you work. You’ll learn how to be a welder in Washington.
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 Washington, click on a link below to learn more about the licensing requirements:
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