If you enjoy working with your hands and you are looking for a satisfying job that will reward your creativity and skills, welding may be a great choice for you. This guide will show you how to prepare for a successful career as a welder in the state of Wisconsin, careers, jobs, and welding schools in Wisconsin.
What Does a Welder Do?
Welders review drawings and blueprints for new welding projects and prepare the materials they need for the task. They use specialized heat-wielding tools to fuse metal components together, repair machinery, cut materials, and patch holes in metal structures.
Welding Schools Near Me in Wisconsin
In the state of Wisconsin, prospective welders can find training through high school vocational programs, post-secondary vocational-technical training, a two-year associate degree, or an apprenticeship program. The American Welding Society offers a variety of certifications for welders, which are preferred and required by most potential employers. There are many programs located throughout Wisconsin that can prepare you with the skills you need to build a welding career.
Blackhawk Technical College
A member of the Wisconsin Technical College system, this vocational-technical school has been around for over a hundred years
- Location: Janesville, WI
- Phone number: (608) 758-6900
- Programs available: Accredited welding and blueprint reading
- Program duration: 12 weeks to 2 years
- Average cost: $4,568 in-state tuition
Chippewa Valley Technical College
CVTC offers 38 certificates, 13 apprenticeships, and more than 115 hands-on learning programs.
- Location: Eau Claire, WI
- Phone number: (7150 833-6200
- Programs available: Blueprint reading, pipe welding
- Program duration: 12 weeks to 2 years
- Average cost: $4,568 in-state tuition
Fox Valley Technical College
This two-year technical school has two campuses that support 11,711 undergraduates with a 12-1 student-faculty ratio.
- Location: Appleton and Oshkosh, WI
- Phone number: (920)735-4898 – Appleton; (920) 232-6049 – Oshkosh
- Programs available: A variety of welding and metal-working courses, including blueprint reading, pipe welding, and welder certifications.
- Program duration: 12 weeks to 2 years
- Average cost: $4,746 in-state tuition
Lakeshore Technical College
This rural two-year public technical school offers industry certification and associates degrees to a student body of 2,420 undergraduates.
- Location: Cleveland, WI
- Phone number: (920) 693-1000
- Programs available: Pipe welding, blueprint reading, accreditation, welding technology
- Program duration: 12 weeks – 2 years
- Average cost: $4,484 in-state tuition
Mid-State Technical College
This rural, two-year technical school offers industry certification and Associate’s degrees to an undergraduate population of 2,648.
- Location: Wisconsin Rapids, WI
- Phone number: (715) 422-5300
- Programs available: Welding technology, accredited welding, and blueprint reading
- Program duration: under 12 weeks to 2 years
- Average cost: $4,417 in-state tuition
Milwaukee Area Technical College
With a student body of 12,618, this school has multiple campuses and offers an affordable route to an associate degree, new skills, and a lucrative career.
- Location: Milwaukee and West Allis, WI
- Phone number: (414) 297-6282 (downtown Milwaukee campus) and (414) 456-5310 (West Allis campus)
- Programs available: Pipe welding, accredited welding, and blueprint reading.
- Program duration: 12 weeks to 2 years
- Average cost: $4,793 in-state tuition
Nicolet College
This rural, two-year college boasts a 9-1 student-faculty ratio and offers industry certification and associate degrees to 1,236 students.
- Location: Rhinelander, WI
- Phone number: (715) 365-4410
- Programs available: Accredited welding and blueprint reading
- Program duration: 12 weeks to 2 years
- Average cost: $4,568 in-state tuition
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
This midsize two-year technical school offers industry certification and associate degrees on two campuses, with a student population of 10,763 and a student-to-faculty ratio of 15 to 1.
- Location: Green Bay and Marinette, WI
- Phone number: (920) 498-5444 (Green Bay campus) and (715) 735-9361 (Marinette campus)
- Programs available: Welder certifications, pipe welding, blueprint reading
- Program duration: 12 weeks to 2 years
- Average cost: $4,734
Western Technical College
This two-year technical institution offers the full college experience with a small school feel, with 4,240 students and a 9-1 student to faculty ratio.
- Location: La Crosse, WI
- Phone number: (608) 785-9200
- Programs available: Accredited welding, pipe welding, blueprint reading
- Program duration: 12 weeks to 2 years
- Average cost: $4,572 in-state tuition
Northwood Technical College
This school offers industry certification and associate degree programs on four campuses and through four outreach centers to better meet the needs of its students.
- Location: Ashland, New Richmond, Rice Lake, and Superior
- Phone number: (800) 243-9482
- Programs available: Accredited welding technology programs, blueprint reading, pipe welding, and various welder certifications
- Program duration: 12 weeks to 2 years
- Average cost: $4,900 in-state tuition
Welding Career Opportunities in Wisconsin
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Wisconsin is ranked in the nation’s top 5 for employing the highest number of brazers, cutters, solderers, and welders, with 16,570 skilled welders working in the state. Sheboygan and the northeastern nonmetropolitan area of the state rank in the top five in the nation for having the highest concentration of welding jobs.
How Much Do Welders Make in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has more opportunities for welders than most other states in the nation, with a fifth-place ranking. The average welder in Wisconsin draws a salary of $45,820, which is equal to the national average. Welders with 10 years of experience generally average $52,355. Highly specialized, skilled, lead welders can earn quite a bit more. Sheboygan, WI has one of the highest concentrations of welding jobs in the nation.
Major Employers of Welders in Wisconsin
The leading employers of welders in Wisconsin include the following:
- Metalcraft of Mayville ($412,313): This company boasts a long history of working in a wide range of industries, including automation, agriculture, commercial lawn care, construction, industrial, military, mining, and power generation.
- Bechtel ($93,316): This well-established global engineering, construction, and project management company has more than 10,000 employees and plentiful opportunities for welders.
- Toyota ($86,509): This automotive giant offers skilled welding opportunities, such as tool and die teams and production engineer welders.
- McDermott ($83,460): This globally successful company serves the energy industry by providing technology-driven engineering and construction.
- Zachry Construction Corporation ($80,813): Welders can find opportunities in industrial maintenance and construction tasks, including air quality systems, commercial buildings, chemical refineries, highways, dams, and bridges.
How To Become a Certified Welder in Wisconsin
To become a certified welder, you need to begin with a high school diploma or GED. Following your basic education, you must obtain the specific skill set you need for welding, through a certification or degree program at a college or technical school, or through an apprenticeship program with a qualified professional welder. After you have acquired the necessary skills, you must take a test that measures your performance in specific areas of welding, resulting in certification. The American Welding Society offers certifications in a number of areas, including the following:
- Certified Welder
- Certified Welding Inspector
- Certified Associate Welding Inspector
- Senior Certified Welding Inspector
- Certified Welding Educator
- Certified Welding Engineer
- Certified Welding Supervisor
- Certified Welding Sales Representative
- Certified Robotic Arc Welder
Do You Need a License to be a Welder in Wisconsin?
The state of Wisconsin does not require welders to hold licenses. However, employers prefer welders hold certification prior to hiring.
Wisconsin Welding FAQs
Here are some common questions related to new careers in welding:
1. How Long Does It Take to Become a Welder?
There are not a great number of steps involved in becoming a welder, but each step requires a specific time commitment.
- Acquiring welding skills can be completed while earning a high school diploma as part of a vocational program. Post-secondary training can be earned through apprentices, colleges, or other opportunities with skilled professionals. These training programs generally take several years to complete.
- Exams must be taken through the American Welding Society to earn certification.
- Following successful completion of the test, credentials may take four weeks to process.
- After receiving certification, you can start looking for a job. Certificates must be updated periodically through additional testing or skilled project completion.
2. Does a Welder Need Insurance in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin state law requires that welders obtain general liability insurance to cover damages.
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 welding-related questions, the American Welding Society is a useful resource. Call the AWS toll-free line at 800-443-9353 between 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 Wisconsin , click on a link below to learn more about the licensing requirements:
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