If you’re good with your hands and have a desire to create with them, you may want to consider a career as a welder. In this guide to welding schools in Colorado, we show you what welders do, how they do it, their career prospects and earning potential, and, most importantly, how to become a welder.
What Does a Welder Do?
Welders use a variety of techniques to join, cut, or repair metal. If you think of anything that’s made of metal, a welder probably had a hand in making it.
Welding careers in Colorado often include work on structural steel, machining, and roll forming. They work in such industries as construction, automotive, aerospace, and machining.
Welding Schools Near Me in Colorado
Community College of Denver
CCD’s state-of-the-art Advanced Manufacturing Center has three welding simulators where you can practice your welding techniques. You can earn five AWS certificates as you earn your AAS in Fabrication Welding. All the certificates are stackable; you can go to work after earning your Basic Welding Certificate and earn while you learn, with each certificate contributing to your associate degree.
- Location: Denver
- Phone number: 303-556-2600
- Programs available: AAS in Fabrication Welding, Certificates in Basic Welding, Intermediate Welding, Arc Welder, Fabrication Welder, and Creative Metalworking.
- Program duration: Four months to two years
- Average cost: $2,607 to $9,968, plus $350 to $850 for supplies
Emily Griffith Technical College
Emily Griffith offers two welding programs, Welding 1 and the more advanced Welding 2. It has a Career Opportunity Network where you can find job opportunities from employers who have reached out to consider students from the school.
- Location: Denver
- Phone number: 720-423-4700
- Programs available: Certificates in Welding 1 and Welding 2
- Program duration: eight months for Welding 1; five months for Welding 2
- Average cost: $10,723 for Welding 1; $7,080 for Welding 2, plus books and supplies
Front Range Community College
FRCC’s welding instructors are certified by the AWS, and the school has an AWS testing facility for you to earn certification. Welding courses are offered on the Larimer campus.
- Location: Fort Collins
- Phone number: 970-226-2500
- Programs available: AAS in Welding, Certificates in Pipe Welding, Metal Fabrication, Comprehensive Welding, Creative Metalworking, Gas Metal Arc Welding, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding, Oxyacetylene Welding, Shielded Metal Arc Welding, and Welding Fundamentals
- Program duration: four months to two years
- Average cost: $1,237 to $14,481, plus supplies
Morgan Community College
MCC’s welding program prepares you for any job in welding. You can start taking welding courses while you’re still in high school if you want to jumpstart your career.
- Location: Fort Morgan
- Phone number: 970-542-3100
- Programs available: AAS in Welding Technology, Certificates in Aluminum Welding, AWS Skills, Basic Welding, Gas Tungsten Arc/Gas Metal Arc (TIG/MIG), and Shielded Metal Arc (Stick)
- Program duration: four months to two years
- Average cost: $3,958 to $15,583, plus supplies
Pickens Technical College
PTC’s welding program includes the AWS Plate Certification test and the ASME IX pipe test. The daytime instructor, Jeff Oliver, won the 2014 AWS Section 20 Educator of the Year award.
- Location: Aurora
- Phone number: 303-344-4910
- Programs available: Welding certificate
- Program duration: two years
- Average cost: approximately $10,160, including fees and some supplies
Pikes Peak Community College
PPCC graduates have gone on to work in motorsports, automobile mechanics, fabrication, art and design, ranching, and farming.
- Location: Colorado Springs
- Phone number: 719-502-2000
- Programs available: AAS in Welding, Certificates in Entry Level Welding, Gas Metal Arc Welding, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding, Pipe Welding, and Shielded Metal Arc Welding
- Program duration: four months to two years
- Average cost: $1,484 to $19,541
Pueblo Community College
PCC’s welding faculty have a combined total of more than 75 years in the industry. Many also work in companies that hire PCC’s welding graduates.
- Location: Pueblo
- Phone number: 719-549-3200
- Programs available: AAS in Welding, Welding Certificate, Introductory Structural Certificate, Intermediate Structural Certificate, and Welding Multi-Process Certificate
- Program duration: four months to two years
- Average cost: $2,968 to $15,830, plus supplies
Use our tool below to find the closest welder training programs near you.
Welding Career Opportunities in Colorado
Jobs are available in fields including waste management, electrical utilities, and custom trailers. You can find a career as a pipefitter, pipeline welder, boilermaker, or ironworker.
How Much Do Welders Make in Colorado?
According to Indeed, the average hourly wage for a welder with one to two years of experience is $21.01 per hour. That translates to $3,642 per month or $43,701 per year. With 10 years of experience, you can expect to earn $26.31 per hour, which is about $3,968 per month or $56,037 per year.
Major Employers of Welders in Colorado
Major employers in Colorado include the following:
- Scelzi Enterprises, Inc. manufacturers truck bodies
- Warming Trends makes outdoor fire pits, brass fire systems, and ignition systems
- AWC Frac Technology produces hydraulic fracturing systems
- Madden Steel, Inc. builds gold mining and gold recovery equipment
- Merritt Aluminum Products creates aluminum accessory products for the trucking industry
How To Become a Certified Welder in Colorado
Becoming a welder is a simple process. To start, you need either a high school diploma or a GED. Next, you need to attend one of the welding schools in Colorado, such as those listed above. After your schooling is done, you need to pursue certification from the American Welding Society or the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
The AWS and ASME are the gold standards when it comes to certifying welders. When you earn a certificate from one of these organizations, it means there’s more work open to you. You can also ask for higher pay. There are many certifications available for welders.
You can work as a welder without AWS or ASME certification. You could apprentice with a more experienced welder. However, your career options may be limited.
Do You Need a License to be a Welder in Colorado?
There is no license to be a welder in the state of Colorado. There are so many different kinds of welding that it would be a bureaucratic mess to try to license them all. Instead, employers look for educational credentials and AWS and ASME certifications.
Colorado Welding FAQs
1. How Long Does It Take to Become a Welder?
If you already have your high school diploma or GED, or you’re looking at a school that allows you to take courses while you’re still in high school, you can earn a welding certificate in as little as four months.
Most schools have career centers to help you find a job in your field. If you want to find a job on your own, there are several job sites where you can find welding jobs. For example, as of this writing, Indeed lists 211 welding jobs in Colorado.
If you want to earn your AAS in welding, that program generally takes two years. The benefit is that you get to learn multiple welding techniques, making you more employable once you’ve graduated and earned your AWS or ASME certification.
Consider the time to get education/training, apprenticeship (where relevant), and develop the necessary skills. If someone just decided today that they want to become a welder, how long will it be until they can get a job as one?
2. Does a Welder Need Insurance in Colorado?
If you decide to work as an independent welder, you need to have workers’ comp insurance for yourself and any employees you hire. Many health insurance companies won’t pay for on-the-job injuries, so workers’ comp could pay your bills while you recover if you get hurt.
You may want to consider getting liability insurance so you’re covered in case of something getting broken or someone being injured on a job site. If you’re sued, your insurance could save your financial future.
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?
If you have questions about how to become a welder in Colorado, you can reach out to the Ironworkers Local 24, the union that many Colorado welders belong to. Its main office is at 501 W. 4th Ave., Denver, CO 80223, and its phone number is 303-623-5386. Its sub-office is located at 706 Elmhurst Place, Pueblo, CO 81004, and the phone number there is 719-557-2545.
Choosing the best welding school in Colorado can set you up for a long-term career. Compare the programs, consider the location, think about the fees, and decide where you want to attend. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics says that the demand for welders will grow by 8% from 2020 to 2030. You can learn how to be a welder and join this growing industry.
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 Colorado, click on a link below to learn more about the licensing requirements:
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