If you want to start a rewarding career in trades without spending four years in higher education, the welding profession is worth exploring.
The mean wage reported by Connecticut welders was $60,590 on average, as of May 2023, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is higher than the national average.
Before being ready to start your welding career, the first step is to complete technical and on-the-job training that teaches you the skills needed for entry into this profession.
Although the curriculum can vary depending on the program duration and the credential it leads to, welding students typically learn about:
- Shop Math
- Materials used in welding
- Welding symbols
- Types of welding joints performed in pipe welding
- Welding Processes
- Welding Safety
- And more
Programs are available for adults and high school students.
Most programs teach, hands-on, the following processes:
- SMAW
- GTAW
- GMAW
- FCAW
- Plasma cutting
Program duration varies between a few months and a few years, depending on the school and the format you choose.
To help you choose the format that best meets your learning style, we have compiled a selection of the best welding schools in Connecticut and the programs they offer.
We invite you to read our list and choose the format that best meets your needs.
#1Lincoln Tech
About the School
Lincoln Tech has been a leading provider of technical skills training since 1946.
It offers programs for students who want to start careers in automotive, skilled trades, healthcare, and information technology.
Lincoln Tech offers trade and vocational programs at its East Windsor campus.
The following programs are available:
- Automotive Technology
- Collision Repair and Refinishing
- Diesel and Truck Technology
- Electrician Training
- HVAC
- Medical Assistant
- Welding Technology
The welding school training highlights include:
- Shielded Metal Arc Welding
- Gas Metal Arc Welding
- Flux Core Arc Welding
- Metal fabrication techniques
- Welding plate metal, carbon steel plates, aluminum, and stainless steel
- Welding in horizontal, vertical, and overhead settings
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 97 Newberry Road, East Windsor, CT 06088
- Phone: (800) 243-4242
- Website: https://www.lincolntech.edu
#2Barzetti Welding & Fabrication, LLC
About the School
Barzetti Welding & Fabrication, LLC provides the highest quality professional welding services: MIG, TIG, stick, soldering, and brazing of ferrous and non-ferrous materials.
According to its website, the school has led the field in precision TIG welding techniques since 1958, the year of its founding.
It has supplied top-quality workmanship to the computer, communications, medical, and other industries, as well as homeowners.
Barzetti welding performs precision repairs and custom fabrication for a wide variety of projects, including:
- Custom fabrication and welding
- Titanium welding
- Hand Rails
- Gates
- Wrought Iron
- Custom fabrication tanks
- And more
The school offers MIG, TIG, and STICK welding.
Classes are one-on-one and $105 per hour.
The first 35-40 minutes of the first class are spent on safety, technique, and welding processes.
The remainder of the class is spent on hands-on welding.
Classes thereafter are 10 minutes of techniques for that lesson, and the rest is focused on hands-on welding.
Contact Information
- Address: 143 Grassy Plain Street, Bethel, CT 06801
- Phone: 203-748-3200
- Website: https://www.barzettiswelding.com
#3CT State Community College
About the School
CT State Community College offers training for students who are looking for a hands-on, creative career.
The college offers several welding courses and certificates for both beginner and advanced students to help them get the qualifications that prepare them for a career as skilled welders in just a few months.
Courses Offered
The following courses are available at the college:
- SMAW/STICK Advanced- a course that costs $3,300
- GMAW/MIG Basic- a $2,100 course
- GTAW/TIG Basic- a $2,100 course
- SMAW/STICK Basic- a $2,800 course
- GMAW/MIG Advanced- a course that costs $2,500
- GTAW/TIG Advanced w/OSHA- a $2,500 course
- SMAW/STICK Advanced w/OSHA- a $3,300 course
The Structural SMAW class includes courses such as:
- Basic SMAW
- Advanced Structural SMAW with certification
- OSHA 10 General/Manufacturing
Contact Information
- Address: 170 Elm Street, Enfield, CT 06082
- Phone: 860-253-3012
- Website: https://ctstate.edu
#4Goodwin University
About the School
Goodwin University offers a Certificate in Welding Technology.
The Certificate provides the technical training and hands-on experience that today’s employers are looking for.
Students take welding classes full-time and complete their certificate in as few as eight months.
The 24-credit program covers everything from welding safety and fabrication to common welding methods, including:
- Shielded metal arc welding
- Gas metal arc welding
- Flux core arc welding
- Thermal cutting
The coursework teaches students how to navigate a welding worksite safely and provides them with the opportunity to learn precise pipe alignment with the school’s innovative Bluco table.
Contact Information
- Address: One Riverside Drive, East Hartford, CT 06118
- Phone: 800-889-3282
- Website: https://www.goodwin.edu
#5Connecticut Technical Education and Career System
About the School
Connecticut Technical Education and Career System offers a Welding and Metal Fabrication program that provides students with instruction in the basics of safety and sanitation, as well as equipment identification and use.
Students learn about the variety of careers available in the welding and metal fabrication industry.
They advance by learning a variety of common welding practices taught by AWS-certified welding instructors.
Students in grades 11 and 12 prepare and practice for national welding certification tests.
They continue to receive instruction in safety requirements and demonstrate sound safety practices.
Students demonstrate the ability to complete a job application, a practice interview, and have entry-level job readiness and trade skills.
In-school welding projects are completed for customers.
The curriculum also covers technology-related mathematics, reading, writing, vocabulary, blueprint reading, and science.
Students receive 540 hours of instruction in the career/technical program each year.
Contact Information
- Address: 39 Woodland Street, Hartford, CT 06105
- Phone: 860-807-2200
- Website: https://www.cttech.org
#6Porter and Chester Institute
About the School
Porter and Chester Institute offers a Welding program that helps students get the skills to begin a career in welding in as few as 10 months.
The hands-on welding program can train students to perform Shielded Metal Arc Welding, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding, Gas Metal Arc Welding, and Flux-Cored Arc Welding.
Students also learn:
- Safety principles
- Creating a safety plan
- Conducting safety training
Students spend 100% of their training time on campus in classes and in the welding shop.
The program is offered in Bridgeport and New London.
Graduates earn a Diploma.
The school alternates in-person lectures with hands-on work that allows them to use the same equipment and tools they find out in the field.
Contact Information
- Address: 156 Boston Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06610
- Phone: (475) 273-2400
- Website: https://porterchester.edu
#7New England Institute of Technology
About the School
New England Institute of Technology offers a Welding Engineering Technology Associate Degree, AS.
Students enrolled in this program get the intensive, experience-based education they need to begin a career in the industry through the Associate of Science in Welding Engineering Technology degree program.
The program gives them the opportunity not only to hone their welding skills but also to learn about computer-aided design, building design, how to read blueprints, and other theories and best practices.
Students can complete an associate degree in as few as 18 months.
The curriculum is approved by the American Welding Society and provides students with SENSE certification.
The program is offered on the Access Road campus in Rhode Island.
In addition to welding and pipefitting, students also take courses in industrial Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety procedures and policy to prepare for the realities of working on a job site.
The program includes coursework in metallurgy, structural design, blueprint reading, computer-aided design and drafting, and many other related topics.
Contact Information
- Address: 1 New England Tech Boulevard, East Greenwich, RI 02818
- Phone: 401-739-5000
- Website: https://www.neit.edu
#8Bristol Technical Education Center
About the School
Bristol Technical Education Center offers a Welding and Metal Fabrication program that can be completed in one year.
The intensive training program allows students to convert the 900-clock-hour credit toward a state-approved apprenticeship-training program.
Students receive instruction in:
- Shop math
- Blueprint reading
- Welding Safety
The following welding skills are taught during the program: Oxy-Fuel Processes, Plasma Cutting, Shielded Metal Arc Welding, Gas Metal Arc Welding, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding, Fabrication and Repair Welding.
Those who complete the course are eligible for certification testing to the American Welding Society standards.
Contact Information
- Address: 431 Minor Street, Bristol, CT 06010
- Phone: 860-584-8433
- Website: https://bristol.cttech.org
#9A.I. Prince Technical High School
About the School
A.I. Prince Technical High School offers training programs designed to prepare a skilled workforce.
The high school has state-of-the-art classrooms, the latest instructional technology, and industry-standard equipment in every shop to give students a well-rounded, 21st-century education.
Students are immersed in college prep academics and can choose from 13 different career fields.
Work-based learning allows students to work for an employer during their trade instructional time.
Students receive training in their career technology, but also get paid.
CTECS has the ability to complete construction jobs off-campus, on both residential homes and commercial properties.
A welding and metal fabrication course is part of the manufacturing cluster.
Contact Information
- Address: 401 Flatbush Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106
- Phone: 860.951.7112
- Website: https://prince.cttech.org
#10Three Rivers College Foundation
About the School
Three Rivers College Foundation offers an Eastern Connecticut Manufacturing Pipeline program.
The foundation offers free, customized non-credit programs in Welding, Design Engineering, Outside Machining, and Intro to Manufacturing for eligible students.
Courses are taught by Three Rivers Community College faculty at Ella Grasso Technical School in Groton.
Accepted students may receive conditional offers of work from the manufacturers based on their successful completion of the program.
Program participants also receive one-to-one job search assistance to promote their skills to area manufacturers.
Contact Information
- Address: 574 New London Turnpike, Norwich, CT 06360
- Phone: 860-215-9000
- Website: https://threeriverscollegefoundation.org
Schools Summary Table
Welding Average Salary in Connecticut
Estimated Earnings Range:| Item | Percent |
|---|---|
|
$40K
|
|
|
$66K
|
|
|
$93K
|
Welding Salary by Metro Area in Connecticut
| Metro Area | Employed | Avg. Annual | Avg. Hourly | Top 10% | Bottom 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | 320 | $68,300 | $32.84 | $100,090 | $40,250 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 700 | $68,610 | $32.98 | $93,970 | $43,680 |
| New Haven, CT | 250 | $59,030 | $28.38 | $83,390 | $35,710 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | 200 | $59,310 | $28.52 | $79,950 | $38,950 |
* Employment opportunities may differ based on your location.
Final Thoughts
Learning how to safely join pieces of metal together can lead to a fulfilling career in construction or manufacturing.
Before being ready to apply for your first job as a welder, you have to become equipped with the technical skills required for this profession.
Now that you have read our selection of the best welding programs in Connecticut, it’s time to decide if this is the path you want to pursue and which program best fits your needs.
