How to Become a Welder in Texas

Alvin Community College (Rating: 4.3 out 5)
Alvin Community College’s Welding Technology A.A.S. degree and certificate programs provide over 1,500 contact hours of welding theory and hands-on training, preparing students for careers in industries such as construction, energy, and manufacturing. Students can earn Level 1 and 2 Certificates, an Associate of Applied Science degree, and industry-recognized certifications including NCCER credentials and the AWS ASME IX 6G certification. The full A.A.S. degree requires 60 credit hours, with program costs ranging from $4,975 to $8,035, plus additional fees for tools and supplies.

• Alvin

Aviation Institute of Maintenance (Rating: 3.6 out 5)
The Combination Welding Diploma Program at the Aviation Institute of Maintenance offers hands-on training in welding and flame cutting, with classroom instruction on welding theory over 8 months (24 credit hours). Graduates are prepared to sit for the American Welding Society (AWS) 3G-4G certification exam. The program provides career opportunities in various welding fields, including welder-fitter, maintenance welder, and fabrication welder.

• Irving, Houston

CLC, Inc (Rating: 4.9 out 5)
CLC, Inc.’s Welding Training Program is an intensive 8-week course that prepares students for entry-level welding positions through hands-on instruction in SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, blueprint reading, and various cutting techniques. Graduates earn a CLC certification aligned with the AWS D1.1 welding code, making them industry-ready for in-demand welding careers. The program costs $3,500 and offers small class sizes and tuition assistance.

• Fort Worth, Forest Hill

Dallas College (Rating: 2.4 out 5)
The Welding Technology program offers a range of certifications and degrees, preparing students for careers across industries like construction, manufacturing, and oil and gas. The Welding Applications A.A.S. degree takes 4 semesters to complete, costing $5,940, while certificates range from Level 1 (2 semesters, $1,584) to Level 2 (4 semesters, $5,940). Additionally, Occupational Skills Awards in specialized welding techniques can be earned in 1 semester for $1,188. Courses are available at Eastfield, Mountain View, and North Lake campuses.

• Dallas

Elite Welding Academy (Rating: 4.7 out 5)
Elite Welding Academy's Structural and Pipe Welding Training Program equips students with the skills needed for careers in pipe welding, structural welding, and manufacturing welding. The 1000-hour program is divided into four 250-hour sessions, covering welding safety, equipment setup and maintenance, and various welding procedures such as SMAW, GTAW, GMAW, and FCAW. Classes are available in both day and night schedules to accommodate different needs, with completion times of approximately 26 weeks for day classes and 44 weeks for night classes. Upon successful completion, students receive a Certificate of Completion, qualifying them for employment in various welding industries.

• Houston

FORTIS College (Rating: 4.3 out 5)
The Fortis Welding Technology training program is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions as industrial welders, apprentices, or check welders through a comprehensive curriculum balancing classroom and hands-on practice. The program length and specific course schedule are determined on an individual basis with an Admissions Advisor. Although specific certifications are not listed, the program covers the skills needed for industry-standard processes, welding calculations, and testing methods used to determine weld quality, which are foundational for obtaining AWS Certifications .

• Grand Prairie, Houston

Grayson College (Rating: 4.1 out 5)
Grayson College offers an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree in Welding Technology, alongside a Structural Welder Certificate and a Combination Welder Certificate. All credentials require a high school diploma/equivalent and successful completion of a Comprehensive Exit Exam as the capstone experience. Additionally, several core Welding courses can be taken for non-credit via Continuing Education, with classes like "Intro to Welding Fundamentals" meeting typically Mondays & Wednesdays or Tuesdays & Thursdays from 6:00pm to 8:50pm for a full semester term.

• Denison, Van Alstyne,

Houston Community College (Rating: 3.8 out 5)
Houston Community College (HCC) offers a modular suite of Continuing Education welding programs, ranging from a 160-hour Welding Technician I certificate to specialized 96-hour modules in Pipe Welding and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (TIG). The curriculum is specifically designed to align with industry standards, offering an intensive 160-hour Welding Inspection track that prepares students for the American Welding Society (AWS) Certified Welding Inspector exam. Based on local Google reviews and the 2026 academic calendar, these pathways provide rapid workforce entry, with specialized Industrial Pipefitter credentials also available through NCCER-aligned curriculum spanning 80 to 160 hours.

• Houston, Missouri City, Stafford

Lincoln Tech (Rating: 3.9 out 5)
Lincoln Tech’s Welding Technology program offers hands-on training across nine campuses, preparing students for careers in industries such as construction, manufacturing, and shipbuilding. This program covers essential welding techniques, including SMAW, MIG/GMAW, TIG, and FCAW, alongside a required OSHA 10-hour safety certification. With instruction from NCCER-credentialed professionals, students gain both theoretical knowledge and practical skills to meet the growing demand for skilled welders, with over 426,000 projected job openings by 2032. 40 week certificate programs in Welding and Fabrication Technology & Pipefitting.

• Grand Prairie

Lone Star College (Rating: 3.9 out 5)

The Welding Technology AAS degree is a two-year program that prepares students for careers in the fabrication, construction, and manufacturing industries. The program includes hands-on training in SMAW, GTAW, and GMAW welding processes and offers Level 1 and Level 2 certificates in these areas, equipping students for various welding jobs and preparing them for industry certifications. The curriculum also covers basic layout and fabrication, metallurgy, and inspection procedures, using up-to-date equipment and professional standards.

The Welding Core Skills Occupational Skills Award (OSA) is a non-credit fast track program designed to prepare students for the American Welding Society (AWS) Exam. The program includes 80 contact hours each in Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), and Shielded Metal Arc Pipe welding.

The non-credit fast track Welder (SMAW & GMAW) Certificate program, now offered in a hybrid format, provides essential training in Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW). Students learn critical skills such as arc length, current setting, travel speed, and electrode angle to produce code-quality welds in various joint designs. The program covers welding in flat, horizontal, vertical up, and overhead positions, along with electrode selection, joint design, and oxyfuel cutting systems.

• Houston

North Central Texas College (Rating: 4.5 out 5)
The Welding Technology program at NCTC is available at Bowie, Gainesville, and Graham campuses. Students gain practical skills in various welding processes, including Oxy-Fuel Cutting, Shielded Metal Arc, Gas Metal Arc, Gas Tungsten Arc, and Flux Cored Arc, along with blueprint reading and welding code interpretation. The program ensures graduates are well-prepared for real-world challenges and employment by requiring them to pass certification tests for each welding process. Courses are offered in flexible formats, including in-person, hybrid, and online, allowing students to earn Basic Level 1 and Level 1 Certificates, as well as an Associate of Applied Science Degree, equipping them with comprehensive skills for the welding industry.

• Denton

Ocean Corporation (Rating: 4.2 out 5)
The Underwater Welding and Cutting program, part of The Ocean Corporation’s Commercial Diving curriculum, lasts 30 weeks from start to finish with new classes beginning every five weeks, offered in either morning or afternoon sessions. This course provides practical skills in both dry and wet welding techniques with a focus on safety and industry standards. Upon completion, students have the opportunity to earn crucial underwater welding certifications in accordance with AWS D3.6M.

• Houston

South Texas Vocational Technical Institute  (Rating: 4 out 5)
The Combination Welding program at STVT equips students with the skills needed for careers in construction and maintenance through hands-on training and a focus on workplace safety. Available at the San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and Weslaco campuses, this 10-month, 56.5-credit hour program covers various welding techniques, including SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW, plate welding, pipe welding,

• Arlington, San Antonio, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, McAllen

Southern Careers Institute (Rating: 4.4 out 5)
Southern Careers Institute (SCI) offers an intensive welding program featuring 540 hours of hands-on lab training focused on TIG, MIG, and Flux Core Arc Welding. Students are prepared to earn four national certifications, with the exam fees for NCCER Core and Levels 1 and 2 included in the tuition if taken within three months of completion. Graduates also gain a technical foundation for OSHA-10 and AWS credentials, typically finishing the program with 14 distinct career skill badges to ensure workforce readiness in 2026.

• Austin, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Harlingen, Pharr, San Antonio, Waco

Southwest University (Rating: 4.7 out 5)
The Certificate in Welding Program is an intensive training course lasting 14 months (60 weeks), designed to equip students with the necessary skills in basic welding, fabrication, blueprint reading, and pipe welding for entry-level employment. Crucially, the program is an American Welding Society (AWS) Accredited Testing Facility (ATF), enabling students to pursue important industry certifications directly through the school.

• El Paso

Sun City Welding Academy (Rating: 5 out 5)
Sun City Welding Academy offers a 480‑hour, fully hands-on welding program designed for beginners and experienced welders alike, with flexible full-time or part-time schedules. Students train in MIG, TIG, Stick, and pipeline welding while preparing for industry-recognized certifications such as D1.1 structural and 6G pipe. Emphasizing safety, efficiency, and real-world application, the academy equips graduates with job-ready skills for immediate entry into the welding workforce.

• El Paso

Tarrant County College (Rating: 4.5 out 5)
Tarrant County College offers a 60-credit hour Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree in Welding Technology, preparing graduates for supervisory roles, as well as two shorter Level 1 Certificates, Basic (22 credit hours) and Advanced (20 credit hours), for production welding jobs. The program teaches major industry skills like pipe welding, SMAW, GMAW, and blueprint reading to prepare students for entry into high-demand sectors such as construction and aerospace. Although specific external certifications are not detailed, the AAS degree and Level 1 Certificates provide the necessary Marketable Skills for career advancement.

• Fort Worth

Texas State Technical College (Rating: 3.1 out 5)
TSTC provides a comprehensive Welding Technology program, available at several campuses, including Abilene, Breckenridge, and a new location in New Braunfels starting Fall 2024. The program offers both Associate degrees and Certificates through in-person and hybrid formats, including night classes. Students receive hands-on training with top-of-the-line equipment used by professional welders, learning essential skills such as blueprint reading, SMAW and GTAW welding, layout and fabrication, and liquid penetrant and magnetic particle testing.

• Rosenberg, New Braunfels, Abilene, Hutto

Tulsa Welding School (Rating: 4.3 out 5)
Tulsa Welding School (TWS) offers an intensive Professional Welder program that can be completed in just seven months, with upcoming 2026 start dates scheduled for March 23 and April 27. The curriculum features a hybrid model combining online theory with extensive hands-on lab practice in SMAW, MIG, TIG, and Flux-Cored welding, specifically preparing students for structural and pipe welding certification tests. Graduates emerge equipped to handle various welding certifications and bend tests, supported by a specialized gear package and the innovative OcuWeld® VR training software.

• Houston

Universal Technical Institute (Rating: 4.3 out 5)
UTI’s Welding Technology program offers hands-on training in four major welding processes—GMAW, SMAW, FCAW, and GTAW—developed in partnership with Lincoln Electric. This 36-week program, available at 12 campuses, prepares students for careers in industries like automotive fabrication and aerospace. With a combination of traditional and virtual welding instruction, graduates complete the program in less than nine months, gaining the skills needed for entry-level combination welder positions.

• Irving, Houston, Austin

University of Texas Continuing Education (Rating: 3.8 out 5)
The online Welder Technician course offers a self-paced, accelerated training program designed to be completed in 12 months, with 125 course hours, for $2,795 (or as low as $136/month with Affirm). It covers essential welding skills, including safety, inspection, metallurgy, fabrication, and robotics, while providing access to five video-based simulation labs for virtual hands-on experience. Students also receive a 25-piece tool kit featuring industry-standard tools from brands like Stanley, DeWALT, and Milwaukee to support their career launch.

• Arlington

Weatherford College (Rating: 4.2 out 5)
Weatherford College offers a range of welding programs tailored to varying career goals—from the 30.4 CEU Basic Welding Certificate (approx. 128 contact hours) to the 60-credit AAS in Welding Technology. The Basic Certificate prepares students with foundational skills in processes like SMAW, GMAW, and GTAW, while the AAS program provides advanced training aligned with American Welding Society certifications and leads to careers such as fabricator, welding inspector, or certified instructor. Both programs emphasize hands-on learning, safety, and equipment proficiency, with strong local job demand and scholarship support through Workforce Education grants.

• Weatherford, Bridgeport

Wharton County Junior College (Rating: 4.3 out 5)
Wharton County Junior College offers a Welding Technology Level I Certificate at its Wharton campus, focusing on comprehensive techniques in shielded metal arc, gas metal arc, flux cord, and gas tungsten arc welding. Based on local Google reviews and program statistics, students can earn up to 19 industry-recognized certificates by the end of the program, which covers essential skills from blueprint reading to carbon arc gouging. The curriculum is designed for flexibility, allowing students to register for individual courses without the need for TSI entrance testing, effectively preparing them for a high 84% post-graduation employment rate in 2026.

• Wharton, Richmond, Sugar Land, Bay City