This guide gives you details on starting your career as a welder in Utah. It includes a comprehensive look at welding schools in Utah with program and tuition information and lists specific employers from Utah industries that hire welders.
What Does a Welder Do?
Job duties for welders vary significantly depending on their type of work. For example, production welders may stand in one place all day fusing metal parts, whereas a welding repair specialist might be in the field fixing cracks in previously welded materials.
Welders with national certifications tend to qualify for the best welding jobs. Most welders will find it difficult to advance to higher-paying positions without formal training or certifications.
Many different welding jobs spring from the state’s diverse industry base in Utah. Welders can find work in manufacturing, oil and gas extraction and refining, mineral and chemical extraction, and agriculture.
Welding Schools Near Me in Utah
Most good employers of welders in Utah want applicants who have completed at minimum a course in entry-level welding and received basic certifications in welding proficiency. However, better-paying welding jobs often require more specialized skills requiring more advanced welding programs.
Residents of Utah enjoy a selection of excellent welding training programs from universities, community colleges, and private training centers that cover any level of instruction a student seeking to learn welding might need.
Davis Applied Technical College
Maintaining three shifts for classes helps DAVISTECH have consistently high student completion and employment placement rates.
- Location: Kaysville
- Phone: 801.593.2500
- Programs available: Welding Technology certificate
- Program duration: one year
- Average cost: $5,600 (residents) plus fees
Salt Lake Community College
Personal attention to students, flexible classes, and affordable tuition make SLCC a good choice for many people seeking training as welder.
- Location: Salt Lake City
- Phone: 801.957.7522
- Programs available: Welding Technology Career Certificate
- Program duration: one year
- Average cost: $2,128.25 (residents)
Utah State University
USU’s renowned College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences gives students the option of pursuing advanced degrees in welding once they have their certificate.
- Location: Logan
- Phone: 435.797.2282
- Programs available: Welding certificate (plus two- and four-year welding degrees)
- Program duration: One year
- Average cost: $3097.50 (residents)
Mountainland Technical College
Two available welding certificates and transferable credits from MTECH to other institutions help students who are considering advancing their careers.
- Location: Orem
- Phone: 801.753.6282
- Programs available: Welding Technology I & II
- Program duration: 20 months for each program
- Average cost: $3,760 (I) and $6,290 (II)
Ogden Webber Technical College
This training center provides intense hands-on training to prepare students for entry-level welding jobs and quickly get them into the workforce.
- Location: Ogden
- Phone: 801.627.8300
- Programs available: Welder Production certificate
- Program duration: 15 months
- Average cost: $2,485
Dixie Technical College
Dixie Technical College’s welding program prepares students for what they will first encounter as welders and provides an excellent foundation to further their education and technical certifications in the field.
- Location: St. George
- Phone: 435.674.8400
- Programs available: Welding Technician
- Program duration: one year
- Average cost: $3,672
Welding Career Opportunities in Utah
Utah’s industrial base is a substantial portion of the state’s economy, meaning the prospects are good for finding work as a welder. For entry-level candidates who just finished training, welding jobs in steel fabrication are plentiful across all sectors and provide steady employment. In addition, the extraction and processing of natural resources—oil, gas, and minerals—and the manufacturing of chemicals require welders to work in facilities and on projects that require a high level of skill and talent.
How Much Do Welders Make in Utah?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the average salary range of welders in Utah as $44,670 to $48,980. Utah welding jobs do not pay as much as some in neighboring states. However, this salary range does fall within the national average of all U.S. salaries for all professions.
Major Employers of Welders in Utah
- Schuff Steel: Large structural steel fabricator and erector hires entry-level to advanced welders
- U.S. Magnesium LLC: Ongoing hiring of welders to work in this state-of-the-art integrated magnesium and chemical production plant
- Lippert: Leading manufacturer in the utility trailer industry has a continual need for qualified production welders
- Aerotek: Trades placement company offering some of the highest paying jobs in the state for qualified welders
- Premier Tech: Manufacturer of irrigation systems uses welders at its Utah facility
How To Become a Certified Welder in Utah
Utah does not require welders to obtain a license to weld. Instead, employers determine the requirements and proficiencies for welders they hire to do various types of work. Most companies require welders to earn either their American Welding Society (AWE) or American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) certification, and some require both.
To find suitable employment as a welder, you will need to receive some training to take and pass your AWS and ASME tests.
There are several paths you can take to become a welder in Utah. One way is to take a short welding course to earn the required certifications and then rely on on-the-job training or apprenticeships offered by their employer.
Some private vocational centers provide excellent training for entry-level to advanced careers. And, for those who completed high school or the equivalent, community colleges and university welding programs offer more in-depth training before entering the workforce and the ability to transfer credits to further their career.
Do You Need a License to be a Welder in Utah?
Utah does not require a license to become a welder. However, if you plan to start a welding business, you must apply for a business license.
Utah Welding FAQs
Here are the answers to a few common questions about welding careers in Utah to help you decide how you want to proceed.
1. How Long Does It Take to Become a Welder?
The answer varies depending on what type of welding job you get. If you do not know how to weld but have the necessary manual dexterity and spatial judgment, allow yourself a minimum of six months to complete basic level training and receive your certifications. To become fully qualified, you will need six months to a year of additional apprenticeship or on-the-job training.
2. Does a Welder Need Insurance in Utah?
The state does not require you to have insurance to be a welder. However, if you are starting a business, you need to carry business liability insurance and Workman’s Compensation if you hire employees.
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?
Local organizations like a city or regional economic development council can advise what industries hire welders. Counselors at welding schools in Utah also usually understand what applicants need to do to qualify for current openings. The Utah Department of Workforce Services also offers career planning services to help answer your questions.
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 Utah, click on a link below to learn more about the licensing requirements:
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