New Jersey offers several options for beginner welders, including community colleges, technical institutes, and private trade schools located in or near cities like South Plainfield, Paterson, Bloomfield, Ramsey, and Lawrenceville. You can search by ZIP code, compare locations, and request info to enroll in the program that fits your commute and schedule.
Schools with Online Classes
How Do Online Welding Classes Work in New Jersey?
Online welding programs for New Jersey students deliver core theory and safety training in flexible, self-paced formats. Courses available through platforms like ed2go and New Jersey partner schools typically offer around 125 hours of instruction over 12 months with open enrollment.
Curriculum covers welding safety, standard processes (GMAW, SMAW, GTAW), metallurgy, blueprint reading, fabrication fundamentals, and inspection techniques through video lessons and interactive modules accessible across the state.
Virtual simulation labs allow New Jersey students to practice welding processes digitally before entering physical shops. Students build coordination, accuracy, and troubleshooting skills through GMAW and SMAW simulations.
Top Trade Schools for Welder Training
- Westampton, Medford
- Ramsey, Hackensack, Nutley, Paterson
- Paterson
- Iselin, Mahwah, Moorestown, Paramus, South Plainfield, Union
- Bloomfield
Burlington County Institute of Technology
Welding Technology I and II are evening 180-hour courses taught at the Medford campus only, on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 5:30 to 9:30 pm, with starts each fall and spring. BCIT says the training is aligned with Hobart Institute and AWS standards, but the catalog names no AWS certification test. Each course is $3,575 in 2026-27, the top of the $3,100–$3,575 range for most of BCIT's evening trade courses, plus a $75 registration fee.
Eastwick College
Welding is taught by Eastwick's sister school, the HoHoKus School of Trade and Technical Sciences, in Paterson. The Structural Plate Welding (AWS D1.1) diploma is 35.5 quarter credits over 24 weeks by day or 48 in the evening; the AWS D1.1 code test is not required to graduate. A Welding and Manufacturing Technology program is also listed. The school's tuition schedule effective September 2022 puts structural plate welding at $17,625.
HoHoKus School of Trade & Technical Sciences
Welding at HoHoKus comes as two diplomas. Structural Plate Welding takes 600 clock hours, 6 months by day or 12 in the evening, teaching stick (SMAW), MIG and TIG welding, cutting, blueprint reading and metal theory for the American Welding Society D1.1 plate code test; passing that test is not required to graduate. Welding and Manufacturing Technology, 906 hours over 9 or 18 months, adds machine shop and sheet metal fabrication. Catalog totals, effective since September 2022: $17,625 and $24,100.
Lincoln Tech
Lincoln Tech's welding program runs 720 to 1,200 clock hours depending on the campus; the 960-hour version with pipe takes about 44 weeks by day. Students learn stick (SMAW), MIG/flux-cored and TIG welding on plate and pipe, cutting and fabrication, starting with a 10-hour OSHA safety orientation. Students can earn an AWS SENSE certificate of completion, which is not an AWS certified-welder test. At Mahwah, NJ the total cost was $33,627 (Feb 2025).
Universal Technical Institute
The Welding Technology program takes 36 weeks for a diploma and teaches four processes (GMAW, SMAW, FCAW and GTAW) using a curriculum developed with Lincoln Electric, including virtual welding trainers. It is offered at most UTI campuses. At Avondale the total cost is $27,005 including fees for August 2026 starts.
The welding schools above provide new welders with a mix of day and night classes, accelerated diploma programs, and certificate options that focus on hands-on training.
Schools like Aviation Institute of Maintenance, Eastwick College, HoHoKus School of Trade & Technical Sciences, Lincoln Tech, and Universal Technical Institute offer beginner-friendly welding training, often aligned with AWS standards and entry-level certification prep.
Many of these affordable welding training courses with job placement assistance also provide career services, resume help, and connections to local employers so you can move into the field quickly.
How Long Do Welding Programs Take in New Jersey?
Welding programs for beginners run from about 6 to 12 months, with some accelerated day programs closer to 6–8 months and evening tracks stretching to a year.
How Much Do Welding Classes Cost in New Jersey?
Tuition for welding schools with flexible class schedules typically falls in a broad range of roughly $7,000 to $20,000+ depending on the school, length, and whether you choose full-time day or part-time night classes.
Many campuses offer financial aid for those who qualify, so when you request info, be sure to ask about costs, payment options, and any job placement assistance available before you enroll.
Steps to Become a Welder in New Jersey
New Jersey has strong demand for skilled welders in shipbuilding (Bath Iron Works partners), infrastructure, petrochemical plants, and manufacturing. Average salary is ~$50,000–$75,000/year (2025 data), with experienced AWS-certified welders earning $85,000+.
Step 1: Meet Basic Requirements
- Be at least 18 (or 17 with parental consent for some programs).
- Have a high school diploma or GED (almost all employers and unions require it).
Step 2: Choose Your Training Path
A. Vocational/Technical School
- Fastest Option: 7–10 months
- Cost: $12,000–$25,000.
- Federal financial aid, Pell Grants, and NJ Workforce Development grants often cover most/all of it.
- Examples: Hoboken Adult School, Ocean County Vocational, Camden County Tech,
B. Community College
- 1–2 year certificate or AAS degree
- Cheaper per credit and excellent for transferring into engineering later.
- Examples: Camden County College, Rowan College, Raritan Valley CC, Union College.
C. Union Apprenticeship
- Paid training advantage, 3–5 years
- You earn $25–$45/hr while learning + full benefits and pension. Very competitive entry (test + interview).
- Examples: Sheet Metal Local 28, Boilermakers Local 28, Ironworkers Local 11, Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 322.
Step 3: Get Certified (critical in NJ)
Most employers require at least one American Welding Society (AWS) certification:
Step 4: Find Work
- Register with NJ Department of Labor One-Stop Career Centers.
- Join Helmets to Hardhats (if veteran).
- Apply directly: Trapani Welding (Newark), Petrochemical plants in Linden/Paulsboro, NJ Transit rail shops, union halls.
New Jersey Needs Welders!
New Jersey is facing a growing need for skilled welders as older workers retire and the pipeline of new talent lags behind demand. The American Welding Society projects a nationwide shortage of about 400,000 welders by 2024, and the average welder is now around 55 years old, with fewer than one in five under 35.
As Shawn Alexander of Universal Technical Institute notes, “New Jersey is one of the areas that continues to have a demand for welders…There’s tremendous opportunity in the field,” and “When you leave our program, you’re going to be an entry-level welder.” According to an on nj1015.com article, welders in New Jersey earn an average of more than $49,000 per year, with certified welders in particular needed on major infrastructure projects like bridges, highways, schools, power plants, and refineries.
Source: NJ101.5, “NJ needs skilled welders — This is how to get started” .