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Welding

Types of Degrees Welding Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Welding may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	18,737
Associate’s Degree	3,671
Bachelor’s Degree	4
Master’s Degree	29,707

What Welding Majors Need to Know

Programs in Welding emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Welding graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Welding emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Production and Processing — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.0 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Design — Importance 3.0 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.0 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 2.9 / 5; level 2.5 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Welding program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 2.8 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 2.9 / 5; level 2.7 / 7.
• Operation and Control — Importance 2.9 / 5; level 2.7 / 7.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Importance 2.8 / 5; level 2.7 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Welding careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Control Precision — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Manual Dexterity — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Welding graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	3.9 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	3.8 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.8 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.7 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	3.6 / 7
Controlling Machines and Processes	3.5 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.3 / 7
Performing General Physical Activities	3.3 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Welding professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Enterprise resource planning ERP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Value Analysis	Analytical or scientific software	—
IBM Notes	Electronic mail software	—
Recordkeeping software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Fred’s Tip Cartridge Picker	Analytical or scientific software	—
Scientific Software Group Filter Drain FD	Analytical or scientific software	—
EZ Pipe	Computer aided design CAD software	—
Oracle Database	Data base user interface and query software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Welding graduates include:

• Soldering Technician (Soldering Tech)
• Machine Operator
• Spot Welder
• Induction Heating Equipment Setter
• Industrial Welder
• Robotic Welder
• Aluminum Welder
• Welding Tester
• Torch Solderer
• Electric Arc Welder
• Torch Cutter
• TIG Welder (Tungsten Inert Gas Welder)
• Welding Setter
• Steel Burner
• Torch Burner

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Welding graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share 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: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Welding?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 88.7% of Welding degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	6,529	11.3%
Men	51,239	88.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Welding graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	32,137	55.6%
Asian	477	0.8%
Hispanic or Latino	13,696	23.7%
Black or African American	5,989	10.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1,022	1.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	130	0.2%
Two or More Races	2,027	3.5%
Race Unknown	2,089	3.6%
International Students	201	0.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Welding Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Welding graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$33,800
4 years	$39,416
5 years	$44,203

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $44,203 — roughly 31% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Welding Programs

Online study is tracked by IPEDS for Welding. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	1	11

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Welding Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Welding graduates earn a median of $39,416 four years after completion — roughly 4% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Precision Metal Working	67,063
Machine Tool Technology/Machinist	3,539
Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology/CNC Machinist	2,174
Machine Shop Technology/Assistant	1,634
Metal Fabricator	552
Tool and Die Technology/Technician	509
Sheet Metal Technology/Sheetworking	386
Precision Metal Working, Other	340
Ironworking/Ironworker	161

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.