If you live in Maryland and you want to start a career in welding, you’ve come to the right place.
As a welder, you will spend your workday joining metals using a variety of techniques and processes.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, welders in Maryland earn $59,780 on average, as of May 2023, higher than the national average for this profession.
Although requirements vary depending on the employer, before being ready to start your welding career, the first step is to complete your high school education or equivalent, and then technical and on-the-job training that teaches you the skills needed for this profession.
During their training, students typically learn about:
- Materials used in welding and their application
- Welding Symbols
- Types of welding joints performed in pipe welding
- Welding Processes
- Welding Safety
- And more
Most programs teach the following processes:
- SMAW/Stick
- GTAW/TIG
- GMAW/MIG
- FCAW/Dual Shield
Program duration varies between a few months and a few years, depending on the school and the format you choose.
We invite you to read our list of the best welding schools in Maryland and choose the format that best meets your needs.
#1Earlbeck Gases & Technologies
About the School
Earlbeck Gases & Technologies is a distributor of welding supplies and gases in Pennsylvania and Maryland that also offers welder training.
The following welder training programs are available:
- Fundamentals of Welding
- Blueprint
- Intermediate Welding: Intermediate Stick, MIG, and TIG
- Advanced Welding: Stick, TIG, and MIG
- Welding Basics
Custom classes and open practice time are also available at the school.
The fundamentals of welding program costs $2,235.
After completing this program, students should be able to:
- Understand and practice safety in all aspects of welding and cutting operations
- Set up and operate oxy-fuel equipment
- Perform cutting of steel, aluminum, and stainless steel with oxy-fuel and plasma cutting equipment
- Read and interpret basic welding symbols
- And more
Weld certification testing is also available.
Contact Information
- Address: 8204 Pulaski Hwy, Baltimore, MD 21237
- Phone: (410) 687-8400
- Website: https://www.earlbeck.com
#2North American Trade Schools
About the School
North American Trade Schools is a skilled trade school in Baltimore.
The school has been training individuals to enter skilled trades since 1971.
Students gain a quality education while getting the training needed to begin a new career in the trades.
The programs combine classroom training with hands-on experience in the labs.
Courses Offered
The Combination Welding program available at North American Trade Schools provides students with well-rounded training in various welding applications and techniques based on ASME and AWS specifications.
Students train in several techniques, including:
- Oxy-fuel cutting
- Shielded Metal Arc Welding
- Gas Tungsten Arc Welding
- Gas Metal Arc Welding
- Flux- Cored Arc Welding
Contact Information
- Address: 5760 Wabash Avenue, Suite B, Baltimore, MD 21215
- Phone: (443) 419-7544
- Website: https://natradeschools.edu
#3Lincoln Tech
About the School
Lincoln Tech in Columbia helps students prepare with modern industry experience through hands-on career training programs led by field-trained expert instructors.
The school offers programs for in-demand career areas, including healthcare, skilled trades, and automotive technology.
Courses Offered
The Welding and Metal Fabrication Technology program is available at Lincoln Tech in Columbia.
This program includes 720 instructional hours and can be completed in approximately 32 weeks.
Core courses included in this program are:
- Welding and Cutting Fundamentals
- SMAW Welding Procedures
- GMAW Welding Procedures
- FCAW Welding Procedures
- GTAW Welding Procedures
- GMAW/GTAW Fabrication Process
Contact Information
- Address: 9325 Snowden River Parkway, Columbia, MD 21046
- Phone: (410) 290-7100
- Website: https://www.lincolntech.edu
#4Anne Arundel Community College
About the School
Anne Arundel Community College offers a Welding program in partnership with Earlbeck Gases & Technologies.
Students prepare for a career in this field through state-of-the-art training.
They learn the fundamentals of welding, including equipment, tools, drawing symbols, welding codes, metallurgy, and inspections.
The program explores shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, gas tungsten arc welding, oxygen acetylene welding, and torch cutting.
To qualify for admission into the program, applicants must be at least 18 years of age.
Courses Offered
The following entry-level certificate courses are available:
- Fundamentals of Welding
- Intermediate STICK
- Intermediate MIG
- Intermediate TIG
Advanced/ specialty courses are also available:
- Advanced STICK- Pipe
- Advanced MIG- Pipe
- Advanced TIG- Pipe
- Blueprint Reading for Welders
Costs range from $615 to $3,285, depending on the program.
Contact Information
- Address: 101 College Parkway, Arnold, MD 21012-1895
- Phone: 410-777-AACC (2222)
- Website: https://www.aacc.edu
#5Hagerstown Community College
About the School
Hagerstown Community College provides more than 100 programs of study that are available for university transfer, career preparation, or personal development.
The college has a 319-acre campus that includes 18 buildings, a full-service business incubator, numerous gardens, and an outdoor amphitheatre.
Courses Offered
Hagerstown Community College offers welding technology courses taught by experienced instructors.
The program starts with entry-level topics, with an emphasis on safety, to skill activities using a variety of welding technologies in the school’s professionally equipped lab.
Courses include:
- Introduction to welding
- Intermediate welding
- Welding fabrication
- AWS Certification prep
The programs are offered most semesters.
Contact Information
- Address: 11400 Robinwood Drive, Hagerstown, MD 21742
- Phone: 240-500-2000
- Website: https://www.hagerstowncc.edu
#6Prince George's Community College
Prince George’s Community College offers introductory and advanced welding as part of its welding curriculum.
The classes are designed for students who are interested in learning the basic principles of welding, want to hone and expand their existing skills, and prepare to take the AWS welding certification test.
Courses Offered
The following welding courses are available at the college:
- Basic Arc Welding
- Advanced Arc Welding
- Stainless Steel Welding
- Welder Testing
- Welding Skills Building
The Basic Arc Welding program is designed to provide students with introductory knowledge and skills in welding.
The topics covered include an occupational orientation to welding, safety and health of welders, drawing and welding symbol interpretation, shielded metal arc welding, and more.
Contact Information
- Address: 301 Largo Road, Largo, MD 20774
- Phone: 301-546-PGCC (7422)
- Website: https://www.pgcc.edu
#7Carroll Community College
Carroll Community College offers a variety of programs and courses designed to prepare students for careers in advanced manufacturing, business & finance, communication & language, construction and trades, and many other industries.
Courses Offered
The Welder/Advanced Welder Certificate teaches a variety of welding techniques on the school’s Augmented Reality welders, then puts them into practice with plenty of hands-on training.
Students are trained in a wide variety of welding techniques, including:
- MIG, Flux-Cored, Stick, TIG
- Bead on Plate, T-Joint, Lap Joint, Butt Joint
- Horizontal, Vertical, Flat
- Steel, Stainless, Aluminum with TIG
Contact Information
- Address: 1601 Washington Road, Westminster, MD 21157
- Phone: 410-386-8000 / 1-888-221-9748
- Website: https://www.carrollcc.edu
#8Pennsylvania College of Technology
About the School
Pennsylvania College of Technology aims to inspire and prepare the next generation with industry-focused, real-world experience.
The college provides top-of-the-line equipment at its cutting-edge facilities.
Courses Offered
Pennsylvania College of Technology offers a Metal Fabrication Technology program that leads to an Associate of Applied Science degree.
Students spend 20+ hours per week of hands-on time in labs.
They get to master welding, machining, & sheet metal processes.
The program covers major-specific concepts, skills, and methods:
- Mill Applications
- Lathe Applications
- Welding Blueprint & Layout
- Welding for NDT
- Basic CNC Programming
- Machine Tool Applications
- Introduction to Metallurgy
- Non-Destructive Testing
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: One College Avenue, Williamsport, PA 17701
- Phone: 570.320.2400
- Website: https://www.pct.edu
#9Wor-Wic Community College
Wor-Wic Community College offers programs designed to help students start a career or complete the first two years of their four-year degree.
Courses Offered
The Welding program at Wor-Wic Community College prepares students for a career in welding and leads to a certificate.
The following degree and certificate programs are available:
- Welding Associate in Applied Science
- Basic Welding Certificate
The Basic Welding Certificate includes the following courses:
- Gas and Arc Welding
- Arc Welding
- Mathematical Applications
- Print Reading for Welding
- Inert Gas Welding
- Welding Inspection and Testing
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: Wor-Wic Community College, 32000 Campus Drive, Salisbury, MD 21804
- Phone: 410-334-2800
- Website: https://www.worwic.edu
#10College of Southern Maryland
About the School
The College of Southern Maryland is a public, regional community college that offers a 17 to 1 student to faculty ratio.
The college provides a 30,000-square-foot Center for Trades and Energy Training on the Regional Hughesville Campus.
Courses Offered
The Welding program available at the college offers six welding certification tracks and American Welding Society Certified Weld Testing.
The following programs are available:
- Certified Shielded Metal Arc Welder
- Certified Gas Metal Arc Welder
- Certified Gas Tungsten Arc Welder
- Certified Shielded Metal Arc Pipe Welder
- Certified Gas Metal Arc Pipe Welder
- Certified Gas Tungsten Arc Pipe Welder
Contact Information
- Address: 6105 Foster Place, Hughesville, MD 20637
- Phone: 301-539-4730
- Website: https://www.csmd.edu
Schools Summary Table
Welding Average Salary in Maryland
Estimated Earnings Range:| Item | Percent |
|---|---|
|
$41K
|
|
|
$59K
|
|
|
$84K
|
Welding Salary by Metro Area in Maryland
| Metro Area | Employed | Avg. Annual | Avg. Hourly | Top 10% | Bottom 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 1,430 | $61,350 | $29.50 | $85,020 | $43,010 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | 170 | $52,290 | $25.14 | $70,880 | $36,080 |
| Lexington Park, MD | 80 | $62,030 | $29.82 | $85,020 | $41,210 |
| Salisbury, MD | 40 | $55,630 | $26.75 | $77,440 | $37,440 |
* 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.
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.
The schools included in our list teach students the skills needed for this profession through a combination of classroom and hands-on training.
Now that you have read our selection of the best welding programs in Maryland, it’s time to continue the research and choose the one that best meets your learning style and career aspirations.
