Your Guide to Welding Programs at Portland Community College

What does it cost to earn a welding credential at Portland Community College, and how long does it take? PCC's welding program offers entry-level career-pathway certificates that many students finish in under a year, plus an associate degree option for fabrication and inspection work.

The Rock Creek campus weld shop holds 58 booths, including three ADA-accessible stations, inside a 10,000-square-foot space, and trains students to AWS D1.1 Structural Steel Code standards. Oregon employers continue to hire welders across structural, manufacturing, and fabrication work, but total welding school cost varies by residency, credit load, and credential level, so the real choice is often between a fast certificate and a longer degree.

Program Length, Schedules, and PCC Campus Locations

Program length at PCC depends on the credential. Most entry-level welding career-pathway certificates are designed to be completed in under one year of full-time study, with published credit totals ranging from 12 to 44 credits depending on the pathway. The Welding Technology certificate is 44 credits, while the Welding Certification Preparation Customized certificate is 12 credits and the Wire Welding Certification Preparation certificate is 24 credits. The Welding Technology associate degree is the longer option at 96 credits and roughly two years of full-time study. PCC also lists a two-year Maritime Welding certificate (Maritime Shipfitter and Welder), which is limited entry.¹

How PCC schedules welding classes

PCC uses a modular block schedule rather than a traditional semester-long course. Classes are compressed into roughly three-and-a-half-week modules, and each term has three start dates. Students can choose one, two, or three modules per term to control full-time or part-time enrollment.¹ Welding courses are in-person; PCC does not describe welding instruction as online, so the modular structure is the main scheduling flexibility.

Where welding classes are held

Instruction takes place at three physical sites: Rock Creek Campus, the Swan Island Maritime Welding Training Center, and the OMIC Training Center in Columbia County.¹ The campus a student attends can depend on the credential and shift. Typical published shift patterns include: - Rock Creek Campus: morning, afternoon, and evening sections.¹ Saturday availability has appeared in advising materials, such as 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., but should be confirmed for the current term. - Swan Island: morning and evening shifts.¹ - OMIC Training Center: afternoon and evening shifts.¹

Waitlist and enrollment rhythm

Students do not simply register for open sections; PCC says they register for full- or part-time instruction through the weld shop waitlist.¹ Prospective students should contact the welding department for current waitlist availability and expected start timing; no standard waitlist time is published. Because modules start three times per term, new students may have multiple entry points, but the waitlist determines when shop space opens.

Financial Aid and Scholarships for PCC Welding Students

With aid deadlines now arriving earlier than many students expect, welding applicants should treat October and November as the start of financial aid season, not spring.

Federal and State Aid

Start with the FAFSA or ORSAA as soon as possible after October 1. Eligible Oregon residents may also qualify for the Oregon Opportunity Grant. PCC lists both the Associate of Applied Science in Welding Technology and the Wire and TIG Welding career pathway certificate as eligible for welding school financial aid, which means federal grants, loans, and work-study can apply to those programs. Veterans should contact PCC's veterans services office and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to confirm how VA education benefits apply to their chosen welding credential.

PCC Foundation Scholarships

The PCC Foundation application opens November 1, 2026 and closes February 1, 2027. For the 2026-2027 cycle, the Foundation offers more than 250 scholarships with a total annual award pool of $2.5 million. Individual awards range from $500 to $6,000, averaging about $1,800 per year or $600 per term. Most scholarships require half-time enrollment, typically 6 credits per term, and a 2.0 GPA, though individual awards may set different standards. Welding students apply through MyPCC and can identify welding as their field of study when matching to department-specific opportunities.

Trade-Specific Grants and Employer Options

A U.S. Department of Labor-funded initiative awarded $2,062.50 each to 10 PCC welding students, covering up to 13 credits as part of a 40-student advanced manufacturing cohort. PCC has not published a recurring deadline for this award, so treat it as a specific cohort grant unless a new application opens. The Doug and Carol Mabry Scholarship Fund also supports welding and joining technology and diesel equipment technology, though public materials do not list its award amount.¹ Employer tuition assistance varies by company, so check with your human resources office before enrolling.

Getting a Personalized Estimate

Aid packages differ based on enrollment level, residency, FAFSA results, and available funds. Contact PCC's financial aid office directly for a personalized estimate and watch your PCC email for Foundation award notifications, which are generally announced in early June.

Admissions Requirements and How to Apply to PCC Welding

Applying to Portland Community College welding is a defined sequence: a free online PCC application, placement and prerequisite review, orientation and advising, a weld shop waitlist form, department approval, and registration through MyPCC.

Start with PCC admission and your student account

The PCC application is free and submitted online. After admission, set up your PCC student ID and email. Submit official transcripts if prior coursework will meet reading or math prerequisites. Complete new student orientation and meet with an academic advisor. Arrange financial aid, payment, or a tuition plan before joining the weld shop waitlist; students who have not accepted a financial aid award may be ineligible when called.

Placement and prerequisite courses

Current welding course prerequisites include RD 90 or IRW 90 for reading and MTH 20 for math. Students meet these through PCC placement or prior coursework; PCC does not publish one universal placement score for 2026. For the Welding Technology associate degree, plan for 96 total credits, four general education courses, and MTH 58/65 math competency. The career pathway certificate and Maritime Welding options have their own award-level requirements, so follow the program page for your credential.

Weld shop waitlist and department approval

Because shop space is limited, students join a weld shop waitlist form before registering for shop courses. Being on the waitlist alone does not authorize registration. The welding department must approve, then students register through MyPCC. Lecture-only classes WLD 101, WLD 102, and WLD 203 can be registered without joining the waitlist; PCC recommends WLD 101 and WLD 102 before shop courses. Waitlist ranking, wait time, and guaranteed entry term are not published. Some awards, including Maritime Shipfitter and Welder, are limited-entry and require an additional application through the welding technology process. Program requirements also include tools, scheduling, and a realistic time commitment.

For current deadlines and award-specific steps, check the PCC admissions page and contact the welding department directly before applying.

Applying to PCC Welding: The Process in 5 Steps

Enrolling in Portland Community College welding follows a clear five-step sequence. The steps below are subject to change, so check the PCC website for current application and advising details before you begin.

Inside PCC Welding Facilities: Booths, Equipment, and Shop Culture

The Rock Creek weld shop now has 58 welding booths, including 3 ADA-accessible stations, in a 10,000-square-foot space inside Building 2, Room 132.

Rock Creek Shop and Equipment

A May 2021 remodel, funded by a $6,176,575 bond project, modernized the layout and added a manifold system, point-of-use exhaust, LED lighting, and robotics capability. PCC says students can practice any welding, including robotics, at all booths. The shop also includes 3 cutting tables. PCC's current pages do not itemize specific welding equipment brands, multi-process model numbers, or a fixed process-by-process booth list.

Scheduled Lab Hours and Booth Access

PCC publishes instructional lab blocks rather than separate open shop hours. Morning sections run Monday through Thursday from 6:30 am to 11:50 am, afternoon sections meet Monday through Thursday from 12:00 pm to 5:20 pm, and evening sections run Monday through Friday from 5:30 pm to 9:50 pm. The program uses open-entry/open-exit scheduling, so students may be able to move through modules as their schedule allows, which can affect welding school duration.

Before beginning, students must complete the weld-shop waitlist form. Current PCC materials do not list a fixed class-size cap, student-to-booth ratio, or typical waitlist time for Rock Creek welding courses. A 2008 partnership article described 80 to 90 students on the waiting list at any time, but that predates the remodel and should not be treated as today's queue.

Other Welding Locations

PCC also lists welding at the OMIC training facility in Columbia County and at the Maritime Welding Training Center on Swan Island. Swan Island has 4,000 square feet of shop space, but PCC does not publish a current booth count or schedule details for that site. The mobile welding center has 6 booths and can serve 6 students at once, or 15 to 20 when groups are staggered; it is not part of Rock Creek.

PCC Welding FAQ: Answers to Your Top Questions

Quick answers to the questions students ask most about Portland Community College welding: cost, completion time, credentials, admission steps, location, and whether the program fits your goals.

How much does the PCC welding program cost?

Total cost varies by residency, credits, and pace. PCC resident tuition is $143 per credit ($298 nonresident). Required fees include a $4.25 per credit student activity fee, $7.35 per credit instructional technology fee, $15 per term college service, up to $45 per course lab fee, and a $12 per credit hour welding shop fee. Plan on a $1,300 to $1,600 tool and PPE kit for the program.

How long does it take to complete a welding certificate at Portland Community College?

The Welding Technology Career Pathway Certificate can be completed in under 12 months of full-time study. The broader Welding Technology associate degree takes about two years full-time. Because PCC uses an open-entry, self-paced format, part-time students may take longer.

What welding certifications can I earn at Portland Community College?

PCC's program outcomes require welding to AWS D1.1 Structural Steel Code standards across SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, OAC, OAW, PAC, and advanced fabrication. The college does not state it awards a separate standalone AWS certification to every completer. A Maritime Shipfitter and Welder certificate includes a maritime welding certification practice course.

What are the admission requirements for PCC welding programs?

Applying to PCC is free. You first complete the PCC admission application, then submit the welding form to join the weld shop waitlist. Lecture-only Welding 101, 102, and 203 do not require the waitlist. PCC uses grades, transcripts, or test results for placement into reading, writing, and math; no welding-specific entrance exam is published.

Where are PCC welding classes held?

Welding classes are held primarily at the PCC Rock Creek campus in Portland, Oregon. Open-entry, self-paced shop access is organized through the welding waitlist after you submit the welding form.

Is the PCC welding program worth it?

The value depends on your residency, schedule, and career goals. A certificate can take under a year full-time with resident tuition and fees plus a tool kit, and training aligns with AWS D1.1 outcomes. PCC does not publish program-level earnings or job placement rates, so compare local welding job postings, including Oregon Shipyard Welding Jobs, and employer expectations before enrolling.

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