North Carolina expects roughly 1,370 welding job openings a year, even with overall employment growth for the trade sitting at just 0.6 percent. Most of that demand comes from replacement hiring for welding jobs across bridge work, shipyards, food processing equipment, and the state's furniture and machinery plants.
The complication is credentialing. A community college certificate in Charlotte or Raleigh gets you a torch and lab hours, but it does not put you on a Department of Transportation bridge deck without 4G SMAW Certification. That takes a separate NCDOT Field Welder Certification, valid five years, and the SIP, Bridge, and Pipe endorsements do not substitute for one another.
Choosing a program, then, means working backward from the weld you intend to sell.
Best Welding Schools in North Carolina
North Carolina's welding programs range from short community college certificates to private career diplomas, giving students different tradeoffs in cost, schedule, and hands-on lab time. These ten schools represent a cross-section of that landscape, and institution-wide graduation rates among them range from roughly 45% to 84%.
- Student-to-faculty ratio
- Program completion rates
- Program availability and format
- Tuition adjusted for local costs
- Career outcomes and earnings
- Independent program research
- National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) — nces.ed.gov
- BEA state price parities, used to adjust tuition — bea.gov
- Federal College Scorecard outcomes data — collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Program-level records maintained in house
Wilkes Community College
#1Wilkesboro, NC · $3,000/yr
Best for: Beginners needing evening flexibility
Wilkes Community College offers a hands-on welding certificate that moves from cutting processes into stick and MIG welding while pairing classroom training with shop practice. The program's four concentration options and evening welder/fabricator certificate give students scheduling flexibility, and coursework supports preparation for industry welding certification. Graduates typically enter entry-level technician roles in construction, manufacturing, fabrication, and quality control.
- Covers stick, MIG, and welding symbols
- Supports American Welding Society certification preparation
- Evening Welder/Fabricator certificate option
- Training includes welding inspection and metallurgy
Montgomery Community College
#2Troy, NC · ~$14,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Undecided students comparing credential lengths
Montgomery Community College's Welding Technology program combines the science and craft of welding, covering electrode welding and cutting, print reading, metallurgy, and inspection. Students can choose a Basic Certificate, Intermediate Certificate, or Diploma depending on how far they want to take their training. Eligible high school students may also enter through North Carolina's Career & College Promise program, which waives tuition for qualifying students. Graduates typically begin as entry-level technicians in construction, manufacturing, and fabrication.
- Basic Certificate: 16 semester hours
- Intermediate Certificate: 17 semester hours
- Diploma: 42 semester hours
- Includes math, print reading, metallurgy
- Covers consumable and non-consumable electrode welding
Southwestern Community College
#3Sylva, NC · $5,000/yr
Best for: High school students earning free college credit
Southwestern Community College's Welding Technology program teaches consumable and non-consumable electrode welding and cutting alongside blueprint reading, metallurgy, and welding inspection. Students practice in classrooms and labs, and the certificate is available to high school students through the Career & College Promise initiative. Graduates prepare for entry-level technician roles and related careers in construction, manufacturing, fabrication, and quality control.
- Certificate available to high school students
- Coursework covers blueprint reading and metallurgy
- Includes destructive and non-destructive testing
- Hands-on classroom and lab training
Wayne Community College
#4Goldsboro, NC · $2,000/yr
Wayne Community College's Welding Technology program keeps classes small, typically 10 to 15 students, so learners get direct instructor attention. Students can earn a diploma or stackable certificates in MIG, Stick, or TIG welding, with an evening option for working adults. Graduates enter construction, manufacturing, fabrication, and related fields, with starting pay generally ranging from $26,000 to $40,000 a year.
- Stackable MIG, Stick, and TIG certificates
- Evening option for working adults
- Average class size 10 to 15 students
- Courses cover blueprint reading and metallurgy
- Starting salaries from $26,000 to $40,000 per year
Blue Ridge Community College
#5Flat Rock, NC · $3,000 – $9,000/yr
Blue Ridge Community College's Welding Technology program lets students earn a diploma or certificate, including an Industrial Pipe Welding option. Coursework covers welding and cutting processes, metallurgy, inspection, and work with carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. The Henderson County Campus program prepares graduates for entry-level technician roles and careers in construction, manufacturing, and fabrication.
- Industrial Pipe Welding certificate available
- Diploma and certificate pathways
- Work with carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum
- Covers welding inspection and non-destructive testing
- Top wages may follow an on-site welding test
NASCAR Technical Institute
#6Mooresville, NC · $29,000/yr (net price)
NASCAR Technical Institute's welding program is built around the four major arc welding processes used in manufacturing, construction, and fabrication. Students spend most of the roughly nine-month program in welding labs, practicing technique and building entry-level job habits. The Mooresville campus serves recent high school graduates, career changers, and anyone moving from desk work to the shop floor.
- Roughly nine-month completion time
- Covers four major arc welding processes
- Hands-on welding lab focus
- Financial aid and scholarships available
- Career advising for job placement
Sampson Community College
#7Clinton, NC · $3,000 – $10,000/yr
Sampson Community College offers welding training through certificate, diploma, and degree paths, including a focused MIG certificate of 12 to 14 credits. The curriculum covers electrode welding processes, blueprint reading, metallurgy, and destructive and non-destructive testing. Students train in person with hands-on shop time and prepare for roles as welders, fabricators, and maintenance technicians.
- MIG certificate: 12 to 14 credits
- Certificate, diploma, and degree options
- In-person hands-on shop training
- Covers blueprint reading and metallurgy
- Prepares for welder, fabricator, maintenance roles
Miller-Motte College-Raleigh
#8Raleigh, NC · $23,000/yr
Miller-Motte College's Combination Welding program in Raleigh can be completed in about 10 months and covers SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, and GTAW processes. Students work in supervised labs on plate and pipe welding, V-groove joints, and job-site conditions while learning blueprint reading, welding symbols, and inspection standards. The program is designed for working adults and offers rolling start dates.
- About 10 months to diploma completion
- Covers SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, and GTAW
- Lab work on plate and pipe welding
- Prepares for NCCER credentialing
- Rolling start dates for working adults
- Welding equipment and tools provided
Randolph Community College
#9Asheboro, NC · $7,000/yr (net price)
Randolph Community College's Welding Technology program trains students in stick, MIG, and TIG processes on plate and pipe at its Archdale Center. The facility is an American Welding Society Accredited Testing Facility and a SENSE participant, so students can pursue AWS SENSE certifications and wallet cards. An evening diploma option offers a path for working adults.
- American Welding Society Accredited Testing Facility
- Trains SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, FCAW on plate and pipe
- American Welding Society SENSE certification and wallet card
- Evening diploma option
- 44 total credit hours
Durham Technical Community College
#10Durham, NC · $2,000/yr
Durham Technical Community College offers a Welding Technology Certificate that can be completed in about 12 months with 18 credit hours. The curriculum covers electrode welding and cutting, math, print reading, metallurgy, and welding inspection, beginning with stick plate and symbols courses. The program is financial aid eligible, and graduates may enter entry-level technician roles or welding-related self-employment.
- 18 credit hours, typically 12 months or less
- Total program tuition about $1,719
- Starts spring semester
- Financial aid eligible
- First-semester stick plate and symbols coursework
- Prepares for entry-level technician roles
NCDOT Field Welder Certification: What You Need to Know
The NCDOT Field Welder Certification is valid for five years and is one of the Welder Certifications required for structural field welders on North Carolina Department of Transportation highway and bridge projects. The credential is issued by the NCDOT Materials and Tests Unit, and the agency's Field Welder Test Program document is the authoritative source for current requirements.
Application and Prerequisites
Before you can schedule a test, you must be at least 18 years old and hold a valid U.S. state-issued driver's license or photo ID. Photocopies are not accepted unless certified by the issuing agency, and the ID must be carried while working on NCDOT projects. NCDOT accepts registration through its online Connect NCDOT portal; paper test request forms can also be mailed, faxed, or emailed to the Materials and Tests Unit in Winston-Salem. Payment is required before processing.
The current 2026 test program lists three exam fees: - SIP Welder: $250 - Bridge Welder Limited 3G/4G: $500 - Bridge Welder 6G Pipe: $500
Shielded metal arc welding, or SMAW, is currently the only process certified for contract field welders. You must supply your own machine with adequate power range for the welding procedure specification amperage, plus a hermetically sealed metal container of E7018 electrodes in 3/32-inch or 1/8-inch size.
Test Day in Wilson
Testing takes place at the NCDOT Division of Highways Annex, Materials and Tests Unit, 490 Ward Blvd., Wilson, NC 27893. Registration is handled through the official training portal, and applicants are contacted to confirm a test date. On exam day, bring your unexpired photo ID. Two Lincoln Electric welding machines are available at the facility if your own machine cannot meet the required amperage.
Retests and Certification
If you fail only one position or type, you have one month to retest and must weld two assemblies of the failed position or type; both assemblies must pass. If you fail both SMAW 3G/4G plates or the SMAW 6G pipe, the retest uses two test plates or pipes of the failed position. Once you pass, your Field Welder Certification remains valid for five years as long as you comply with applicable specifications.
The Materials and Tests Unit can be reached at [email protected] or by fax at 336-969-2579; use the official Field Welder Certification guidance as the authoritative reference before you register.
How Do NCDOT SIP, Bridge, and Pipe Welder Certifications Compare?
NCDOT field welder certifications are not interchangeable. The flat-plate SIP test qualifies you for decking and stay-in-place form work, while Bridge adds vertical and overhead structural plate positions, and Pipe uses a fixed 6G pipe test.
Comparing Welding School Costs and Financial Aid in North Carolina
North Carolina's public community colleges typically offer the lowest in-state tuition, while private welding programs often run higher but may bundle an AWS welder test. The net price column below is an institution-wide after-aid average that includes federal, state, and institutional grants, so the figure can be lower than published sticker tuition; welding-specific certificate and diploma tuition at community colleges commonly ranges from about $2,100 to $4,400 before tools and testing, while a private short program lists $3,195 to $4,395. Pell Grants, state workforce scholarships, and local training funds can reduce out-of-pocket costs further, and welding-specific test fees such as the NCDOT field welder exam are not consistently published, so confirm them with the school.
| School | City | In-State Tuition | Net Price After Aid | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham Technical Community College | Durham | $1,986 | $1,664 | 45% |
| James Sprunt Community College | Kenansville | $2,592 | $1,863 | 48% |
| Wayne Community College | Goldsboro | $2,566 | $2,245 | 49% |
| Wilson Community College | Wilson | $2,572 | $3,064 | 27% |
| Sampson Community College | Clinton | $2,877 | $3,108 | 56% |
| Vance-Granville Community College | Henderson | $1,944 | $3,286 | 53% |
| Craven Community College | New Bern | $2,022 | $3,289 | 48% |
| Nash Community College | Rocky Mount | $2,866 | $3,338 | 41% |
| Central Piedmont Community College | Charlotte | $2,792 | $3,345 | 31% |
| Southwestern Community College | Sylva | $4,112 | $5,207 | 53% |
Did you know North Carolina expects about 1,370 welding job openings a year, even though overall employment growth for the trade is a modest 0.6 percent, according to NC Careers (North Carolina Department of Commerce, 2026)? That steady churn reflects retirements and turnover, meaning trained welders keep finding steady demand statewide.
Specializations: Pipe, MIG, TIG, and Structural Welding in NC
Welding specializations are not interchangeable. They describe the process, joint type, and working conditions you will face daily. In North Carolina, pipe, MIG, TIG, and structural welding each lead to different welding jobs and certification paths.
Pipe Welding
Pipe welders join cylindrical sections used in utilities, chemical plants, power generation, and pipeline construction. North Carolina programs that name pipe or plate-and-pipe training include Cape Fear Community College, whose listing states it offers "MIG, STICK, TIG and PIPE courses" and "AWS D1.1 pipe welding prep." Beaufort County Community College lists "plate and pipe welding processes" alongside TIG (GTAW) applications. Blue Ridge Community College offers an Industrial Pipe Welding certificate. Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College includes pipe welding and SMAW in its welding certificate, and South Piedmont Community College's Welding Technology SMAW Plate/Pipe Certificate focuses on stick welding for plate and pipe joints. Pipe welding training often aligns with the Pipe Welder certification level in North Carolina's NCDOT Field Welder program.
MIG and TIG Welding
MIG Welding (GMAW) uses a continuous wire electrode, fast and common in manufacturing, automotive, and production fabrication. TIG Welding (GTAW) uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode for precise, clean welds on stainless, aluminum, and thin materials. Craven Community College names "TIG and MIG welding training" with shielded metal arc welding included. Wayne Community College offers both a TIG Welding Certificate and a Stick Welding Certificate. Blue Ridge Community College notes work with carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. Wilson Community College's welding program highlights pharmaceutical and food grade welding, a TIG-heavy application for sanitary piping and vessels. Miller-Motte College in Raleigh teaches GMAW and GTAW as part of its Combination Welding program.
Structural and SMAW-Heavy Training
Structural welders build and repair steel frames, bridges, and heavy equipment, where SMAW (stick) remains the field standard because it works outdoors and on dirty or rusted steel. South Piedmont Community College's SMAW Plate/Pipe Certificate is built around manipulative stick electrode skills. Wilson Community College offers an Introduction to SMAW Welding course and broader SMAW, GTAW, and GMAW training. Pitt Community College provides SMAW, GMAW, and GTAW along with robotic welding. For targeted NCDOT Field Welder preparation, no North Carolina school uses that exact program title in public materials, but South Piedmont and Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College are the closest matches for explicit stick plus pipe training. PIT Weld U's Pit Weld U - 200 is a short private program focused on SMAW stick skills and advanced torch cutting, priced around $3,000 to $4,000, and can serve as a refresher or test-prep option. Wake Technical Community College offers a Welding Technology Diploma with day or evening classes, but its published highlights do not specify a single process specialization.
Related Articles
North Carolina Welder Salary Snapshot
Additional Welding Schools in North Carolina
Beyond the ten programs ranked above, North Carolina community colleges run welding training in nearly every corner of the state, from the mountains to the coast. The schools below are grouped by region and listed without ranking, and each one leads to a certificate, diploma, or degree path. Request information from several programs at once to compare schedules, costs, and start dates before you commit.
Charlotte Metro
- Welding Technology Certificate with a Specialization in Entry-Level Welding
- Welding Technology - Fundamentals I Certificate
- Welding Technology
Piedmont Triad
- Welding Technology
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton Area
- Welding Technology
- Welding Technology
Triangle
- Welding Technology Diploma
- Basic Welding Certificate
Eastern North Carolina
- Welding Technology Certificate - General Welding
- Basic Welding Certificate
- Welding Technology
Coastal North Carolina
- Welding Technology
Western North Carolina
- Welding Technology
- Welding Technology
- Welding Technology