If you want to start a rewarding career in trades without spending four years in higher education, the welding profession is worth exploring.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, Wyoming is the fourth-highest paying state for welders.
The average annual wage for workers in this profession was $66,020.
Before being ready to start your welding career, the first step is to complete technical and/or 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
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 Wyoming and the programs they offer.
We invite you to read our list and choose the format that best meets your needs.
#1Western Welding Academy
About the School
Western Welding Academy offers welding classes at expert, professional, and foundational levels.
Classes are taught by industry veterans with 330+ years of combined experience.
The tuition covers housing, tools, and materials.
Courses Offered
The following courses are available at the academy:
- Expert Pipe Welder
- Professional Pipe Welder
- Foundational Pipe Welder
- Advanced Structural Welder
At Western Welding Academy, students spend 85 percent of their training in the welding booth, where they get to build real skills.
The remaining 15 percent is spent in the classroom, where students master blueprints, welding specifications, and industry standards.
The Foundational Welding program gives the hands-on skills and certifications needed to work in high-demand industries, including millwrights, welder mechanics, structural, gas plants, power plants, and more.
The total cost for the Foundational Welding program is $17,050.
Contact Information
- Address: 26 Kinsey Lane, Gillette, WY 82716
- Phone: (307)-284-5313
- Website: https://www.westernweldingacademy.com
#2Eastern Wyoming College
About the School
Eastern Wyoming College offers a Welding & Joining Technology program that provides high-quality and versatile basic education as a foundation to build a career.
The college’s instructors are all American Welding Society Certified Welding Inspectors, Certified Welding Educators, and Certified Welders.
Courses Offered
The following program options are available:
- Plate Certificate- a one-semester program
- Certificate- a two-semester program
- Welding Specialist Certificate- a two-semester program
- AAS Degree- a four-semester program
- Machine Tooling Certificate- may be earned in conjunction with the Welding & Joining Technology AAS Degree
The Welding and Joining Technology Certificate program includes courses such as:
- General Welding
- Shielded Metal Arc Welding
- Gas Metal Arc Welding
- Intro to Computer-Aided Drafting
- General Machine Shop
- Print Reading and Welding Symbols
- Flux Cored Arc Welding
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: 3200 West C Street, Torrington, WY 82240
- Phone: (307) 532-8200
- Website: https://ewc.wy.edu
#3Central Wyoming College
About the School
Central Wyoming College offers a Welding program that can lead to an Associate of Applied Science Degree.
The program combines hands-on welding experiences with classroom instruction in commonly used welding processes.
Safety is also emphasized in this program.
Students have to complete 60 credits of coursework.
The program features a complete welding curriculum that uses the American Welding Society and the American Petroleum Institute for acceptance/rejection criteria.
The curriculum covers welding processes, including shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, flux core arc welding, gas tungsten arc welding, and oxyacetylene welding and cutting.
The classes are taught with an emphasis on blueprint reading, metallurgy, and weld inspection technology.
Students also need hands-on welding performance to complete the AAS degree.
Welding Certificate I and Welding Certificate II options are also available.
The Welding Certificate I program requires students to complete 30 credits of coursework with emphasis on Oxy-Fuel, Shielded Metal Arc Welding, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding, and basic pipe welding.
Students need to complete 14 credits of welding coursework to earn a Welding Certificate II program.
Contact Information
- Address: 2660 Peck Avenue, Riverton, WY 82501
- Phone: (307) 855-2000
- Website: https://www.cwc.edu
#4WyoTech
About the School
WyoTech is a hands-on applied welding school that provides hands-on training in a wide variety of welding techniques.
The program covers a variety of welding techniques, from structural welding to pipelines, teaching students how to fabricate and weld on various metals in multiple welding positions.
Students spend 70 percent of their time in the shop doing real work, and can complete the training within six months.
They learn from industry professionals and graduate with hands-on skills that they can take almost anywhere in the world.
WyoTech’s curriculum is built by some of the top professionals in the industry.
The training is customized in project-based welding, giving students the opportunity to gain the welding and fabrication skills to enter nearly any area of the welding industry.
It follows the standards set by the American Welding Society, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the American Petroleum Institute.
The welding testing procedures and qualifications are built around the standards of the institutions above.
A day welding class and a separate night welding class are also available.
The program consists of:
- Welding Basics, Wire Fed Welding, Oxyfuel Cutting, & Shielded Metal Arc Welding
- Advanced Shielded Metal Arc Welding & Gas Tungsten Arc Welding
- Advanced Arc Tungsten Arc Welding & Pipe Welding
- Advanced Pipe, Metal Fabrication, & Economics
Contact Information
- Address: 1889 Venture Drive, Laramie, Wyoming 82070
- Phone: 307-742-3776
- Website: https://www.wyotech.edu
#5Western Wyoming Community College
About the School
Western Wyoming Community College offers a Welding Technology program that equips students with the entry-level skills needed to confidently enter the workforce.
Students gain hands-on experience with multiple welding processes and joint configurations, while learning to apply welding codes, standards, and documentation.
Courses Offered
The program has the following learning outcomes:
- Troubleshoot welding equipment and techniques
- Cultivate and maintain safe workplace practices
- Demonstrate proficiency in multiple welding processes
- Understand and apply relevant welding codes and industry standards
- Interpret welding drawings, blueprints, and symbols
- Communicate effectively using welding terminology
Contact Information
- Address: 2500 College Drive, Rock Springs, WY 82901
- Phone: 307.382.1600
- Website: https://www.westernwyoming.edu
#6Northwest College
About the School
Northwest College offers an Advanced Welding Certificate that builds on core welding skills with hands-on training in combination welding, modern fabrication methods, and pipe welding techniques.
Students receive practical experience that reflects current industry standards.
This certification also allows students to continue their education and earn an Associate in Applied Science in Welding Technology degree.
Courses Offered
Core courses include:
- Applied Technical Mathematics
- Welding Technology Safety and Problem Solving
- Print Reading
- Welding Processes
- Advanced Welding Processes
- Welding Fabrication
- Advanced Metal Fabrication Techniques
- Welding Metallurgy
- And more
Core courses have 51 credits in total.
Contact Information
- Address: 231 West 6th Street, Powell, Wyoming, 82435
- Phone: 307-754-6000
- Website: https://nwc.edu
#7Casper College
About the School
Casper College offers more than 135 degrees and certificates in a variety of areas of study.
The Welding program available at the college teaches several different arc and gas welding processes, and how to join various types of metal while allowing students to perfect their hands-on skills.
The college also emphasizes safe practice and proper maintenance of all equipment.
Courses Offered
Course topics include:
- Welding process and theory
- Blueprint understanding
- Welding symbol identification
- Industry codes and standards
Students practice the latest techniques in:
- Gas Tungsten Arc Welding
- Shielded Metal Arc Welding
- Gas Metal Arc Welding
- Flux Cored Arc Welding
- Automated submerged arc welding
- Plasma applications
Contact Information
- Address: 125 College Drive, Casper, WY 82601
- Phone: 307-268-2100
- Website: https://www.caspercollege.edu
#8Carbon County Higher Education Center
About the School
Carbon County Higher Education Center offers welding classes for high school students.
Students prepare with employable skills to pursue more education and to solve problems on the ranch or in the garage.
They learn a range of welding techniques, working on real-life projects, that build confidence in their ability to fix things.
Courses Offered
The following programs are available:
- Welding I- a course that provides an introduction to welding and cutting processes
- Welding II- a course that teaches students how to weld using Gas Metal Arc Welding, Flux Cored Arc Welding, and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding.
- Welding III- students use the processes learned in Welding II to weld plates to American Welding Society standards
- Welding IV- students build upon skills from Welding III
Contact Information
- Address: 1650 Harshman Street, Rawlins, WY 82301
- Phone: 307-328-9274
- Website: https://www.cchec.org
#9Flathead Community College
Welding programs are also available in neighboring states.
Flathead Community College helps students begin or level up their hands-on careers.
An array of career and technical programs is available at the college.
Students learn the skills they need to get the job and wage they deserve.
Courses Offered
The Welding program offered at Flathead Community College combines experienced instructors with cutting-edge equipment and certifications that employers value.
The following program options are available:
- Welding Technology Certificate of Technical Studies
- Welding and Fabrication Technology Certificate of Applied Science
- Welding and Fabrication Technology Associate of Applied Science
Certificates can be completed in one year, while the degree takes two years to complete.
The Welding Technology Certificate of Technical Studies program awards 18 credits and includes courses such as:
- Welding Theory I Practical
- Fabrication Basics
- Blueprint Reading and Welding Symbols
- Welding Theory III Practical
- Fabrication Basics II
- Welding Qualification Test Preparation
Contact Information
- Address: 777 Grandview Drive, Kalispell, MT 59901
- Phone: (406) 756-3822 | (800) 313-3822
- Website: https://catalog.fvcc.edu
#10Central Community College
About the School
Central Community College offers programs in 25 counties in the neighboring state of Nebraska as well as online options.
The community college offers 37 career and technical education programs with a focus on degree, diploma, and certificate options that require two years or less to complete.
Courses Offered
A variety of welding workshops are available, ranging from basic to advanced skill levels.
The workshops include lecture and hands-on lab training under the close supervision of a qualified welder.
The programs can be customized to meet an organization’s unique needs and culture.
Welding training is offered on campus, or it can be brought to the organization’s location with a mobile welding lab.
The following courses are available:
- Advanced Robotics and Maintenance
- Basic ERC Robotic Welding
- Basic Kuka Robotic Welding
- Blueprint Reading
- Brazing and Braze Welding
- Cutting
- Gas Metal Arc Basics
- Layout and Assembly
- And more
Contact Information
- Address: P.O. Box 1027, 4500 63rd Street, Columbus, NE 68602-1027
- Phone: 402-564-7132
- Website: https://www.cccneb.edu
Schools Summary Table
Welding Average Salary in Wyoming
Estimated Earnings Range:| Item | Percent |
|---|---|
|
$46K
|
|
|
$68K
|
|
|
$89K
|
Welding Salary by Metro Area in Wyoming
| Metro Area | Employed | Avg. Annual | Avg. Hourly | Top 10% | Bottom 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casper, WY | 490 | $63,050 | $30.31 | $83,280 | $46,870 |
| Cheyenne, WY | 170 | $57,250 | $27.53 | $75,820 | $42,110 |
* 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, repair shops, manufacturing, and many other industries.
Before being ready to apply for your first job, 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 Wyoming, it’s time to decide if this is the path you want to pursue and which program best fits your needs.
