by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 911 U.S. colleges awarded 64,207 degrees and certificates in Welding Technology/Welder. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 51% of graduates. College Factual ranks 759 schools in its 2027 Best Welding Technology/Welder Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $33,745 one year after completing, rising to $48,658 after four years.
A degree in Welding Technology/Welder covers Welding Technology/welder. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Technical Knowledge And Skills To Join Or Cut Metal Surfaces. Includes Instruction In Arc Welding, Resistance Welding, Brazing And Soldering, Cutting, High-Energy Beam Welding And Cutting, Solid State Welding, Ferrous And Non-Ferrous Materials, Oxidation-Reduction Reactions, Welding Metallurgy, Welding Processes And Heat Treating, Structural Design, Safety, And Applicable Codes And Standards. Examples: [Arc Welding], [Pipe Welding], [Wire Welding], [Industrial Welder], [Welder], [Metal Inert Gas (Mig) Welding], [Flux-Core Arc Welding], [Gas Metal Arc Welding], [Gas Tungsten Arc Welding], [Shielded Metal Arc Welding], [Structural Steel Welding], [Tungsten Inert Gas (Tig) Welding].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, welding technology/welder is a popular field of study, with 64,207 degrees awarded annually. 911 colleges award welding technology/welder degrees, an average of 70 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 1,087.
By level, the 64,207 awards include 21,104 certificates, 3,896 associate degrees, 1 bachelor’s degrees and 32,741 master’s degrees.
Women earned 13% of welding technology/welder degrees and certificates in the latest year (8,096 of 64,207). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (34,356) and Hispanic or Latino (16,193), and international students earned 232.
College Factual ranks 759 schools in its 2027 Best Welding Technology/Welder Schools ranking, including 149 for associate degrees. It also ranks welding technology/welder schools within 30 states. In all, 911 colleges offer welding technology/welder programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Welding Technology/Welder Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common welding technology/welder credential is the master’s degree: 32,741 of the 64,207 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to welding technology/welder call most for Operations Monitoring, Monitoring and Critical Thinking, and for knowledge of Production and Processing, Administration and Management and Design, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Near Vision, Arm-Hand Steadiness and Control Precision.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a welding technology/welder degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 21,104 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 3,896 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 32,741 |
High school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to welding technology/welder, at 42.8%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 42.8% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 23.7% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 21.3% |
| Some college courses | 10.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 0.5% |
Source: O*NET Online.
2 occupations are related to Welding Technology/Welder, with an average median salary of $55,612; the strongest outlook belongs to Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, at 12.7% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Industrial Welder, Induction Heating Equipment Setter, Soldering Technician (Soldering Tech) and Aluminum Welder.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to welding technology/welder, at 258,298.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 258,298 | 12.7% |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | 221,841 | -4.1% |
Welding Technology/Welder graduates earn a median $33,745 one year after completing their program, $48,658 after four years and $44,553 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $33,745 |
| 4 years | $48,658 |
| 5 years | $44,553 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to welding technology/welder is Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers, with a median salary of $60,230.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $60,230 |
| Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $50,993 |
Welding Technology/Welder has 8 similar majors in the Precision Production field, which together award 9,109 degrees a year; the largest are Machine Tool Technology/Machinist (3,489), Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology/CNC Machinist (2,254) and Machine Shop Technology/Assistant (1,542). Browse all Precision Production majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Machine Tool Technology/Machinist | 3,489 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology/CNC Machinist | 2,254 |
| Machine Shop Technology/Assistant | 1,542 |
| Metal Fabricator | 588 |
| Tool and Die Technology/Technician | 423 |
| Sheet Metal Technology/Sheetworking | 415 |
| Precision Metal Working, Other | 296 |
| Ironworking/Ironworker | 102 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
