Virginia Community Colleges
Welding Technology Programs
Welding technology programs at community colleges in this state. Career-track training for AWS-certified welders.
16 colleges · 503 sections · 32 unique courses · Fall 2026 · Updated today
Welding programs at Virginia community colleges are among the most direct paths from enrollment to a full-time skilled-trade job in the state. Most VCCS welding programs are one-year diploma or two-year AAS sequences aligned to AWS (American Welding Society) certifications — SMAW (stick), GMAW (MIG), GTAW (TIG), and FCAW (flux-cored). The 503 sections at 16 institutions this term combine bench-work hours with metallurgy theory and blueprint reading.
Welders graduating with AWS certifications step into manufacturing, pipeline, structural-steel, and shipyard jobs without needing further education. Pay is competitive (often above other CC-trade tracks), demand outpaces supply in most Virginia metro areas, and the certification stacking — adding pipe, aluminum, and underwater certifications over time — keeps the career growing.
Earnings & outcomes for Welding Technology graduates
Federal College Scorecard data on what graduates of this program actually earn after completion. Where a school’s cohort is too small to publish, we show the national benchmark for the same field of study.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, per-program (4-digit CIP) data. CIP 4805 — Precision Metal Working. School cohorts are suppressed by the federal source when fewer than ~30 completers in the reporting cohort.
Colleges offering Welding Technology
| College | Sections | Courses | Online | Awards/yr | 5-yr earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick & Henry Community College | 131 | 10 | — | 90 | — |
| Mountain Gateway Community College | 89 | 14 | — | 12 | — |
| New River Community College | 64 | 8 | 3 | 111 | $38,105 |
| Virginia Western Community College | 24 | 6 | — | 58 | — |
| Wytheville Community College | 24 | 7 | — | 23 | — |
| Northern Virginia Community College | 23 | 6 | — | 20 | — |
| Southwest Virginia Community College | 23 | 14 | — | 105 | — |
| Central Virginia Community College | 22 | 6 | — | 261 | — |
| Southside Virginia Community College | 22 | 9 | — | 119 | — |
| Brightpoint Community College | 19 | 6 | — | 82 | — |
| Tidewater Community College | 17 | 9 | — | 80 | $42,294 |
| Camp Community College | 12 | 6 | — | 4 | — |
| Eastern Shore Community College | 10 | 5 | — | 26 | — |
| Virginia Highlands Community College | 10 | 6 | 1 | 84 | — |
| Mountain Empire Community College | 8 | 4 | — | 77 | — |
| Danville Community College | 5 | 5 | — | 137 | $48,217 |
Welding Technology Availability Snapshot
How welding technology sections are being offered across 16 colleges in Virginia this term (503 sections total).
Delivery format
- in person377 (75%)
- hybrid122 (24%)
- online4 (1%)
When sections meet
- Morning (before noon)178
- Afternoon (noon–5 PM)134
- Evening (5 PM and after)184
- Asynchronous / TBA7
Start dates
Sections begin on 14 distinct dates. 463 late-start more than two weeks after the term's earliest start.
Degree requirements by college
Expand a college to see the courses required for graduation. Data sourced from each college's official catalog.
Brightpoint Community College2 programs
Central Virginia Community College3 programs
Danville Community College3 programs
Eastern Shore Community College4 programs
Germanna Community College1 program
Program Requirements
- SAF 130OSHA 10not offered
- BUS 116Entrepreneurship1 section
- BUS 226Computer Business Applications3 sections
- WEL 100Fundamentals of Weldingnot offered
- WEL 120Introduction to Weldingnot offered
- WEL 123Shielded Metal Arc Weldingnot offered
- WEL 160Gas Metal Arc Weldingnot offered
- WEL 161Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW)not offered
Source: College catalog
Mountain Empire Community College4 programs
Mountain Gateway Community College7 programs
New River Community College6 programs
Northern Virginia Community College1 program
Powered by Modern Campus Catalog™.
Total 7 credits
7 creditsSee catalog for course list
2nd Semester
Total 5 credits
5 creditsSee catalog for course list
3rd Semester
Total 6 credits
6 creditsSee catalog for course list
Source: College catalog
Patrick & Henry Community College3 programs
Rappahannock Community College6 programs
Reynolds Community College4 programs
Southside Virginia Community College2 programs
Southwest Virginia Community College5 programs
Virginia Highlands Community College2 programs
Virginia Western Community College1 program
Wytheville Community College3 programs
Common Welding Technology courses
- WEL 123Shielded Metal Arc Welding (Basic)(67 sections)
- WEL 120Introduction to Welding(66 sections)
- WEL 160Gas Metal Arc Welding(51 sections)
- WEL 100Fundamentals of Welding(42 sections)
- WEL 161Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW)(36 sections)
- WEL 164Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG)(33 sections)
- WEL 141Welder Qualification Tests I(30 sections)
- WEL 126Pipe Welding I(27 sections)
- WEL 150Welding Drawing and Interpretation(23 sections)
- WEL 124Shielded Metal Arc Welding (Advanced)(21 sections)
- WEL 237Applied Welding Process(16 sections)
- WEL 166Advanced Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG)(11 sections)
Career outlook for Welding Technology graduates
Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data for the primary career outcome of this program (2024 OEWS release). Compare Virginia’s typical pay to the national picture before choosing where to study.
Virginia's typical pay is about 14% above the typical state — a strong sign of healthy local demand.
Wage data reflects all workers in the occupation, not just recent CC graduates — entry-level pay is typically lower. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does a welding program take at a community college?
- One-year diploma programs cover the AWS Certified Welder fundamentals (SMAW + GMAW for structural steel). Two-year AAS programs add advanced processes (TIG, pipe welding), blueprint reading, materials science, and supervisory coursework. Many students start with the diploma, get hired, then return for the AAS while working.
- What welding certifications can I earn?
- AWS Certified Welder is the baseline credential — most Virginia programs prepare graduates to test for it on multiple processes (SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, FCAW) in multiple positions (flat, horizontal, vertical, overhead). Specialty certs (6G pipe, structural code D1.1, pressure-vessel code D1.5) come from employer-sponsored testing after hire and pay significantly more.
- What's the demand for welders in Virginia?
- Strong. Industrial manufacturing, pipeline maintenance, shipyard work, and infrastructure construction all need welders, and the workforce is aging faster than it's being replaced. BLS projects 2% growth nationally through 2032, but starting wages have risen 15-20% in the last five years as employers compete for trained welders.
- Do I need a four-year degree to advance in welding?
- No. Career progression goes: certified welder → senior welder → welding inspector (CWI certification, employer-paid) → welding supervisor → welding engineer. The CWI is the credential that opens supervisory and inspection roles at $25–35/hr+; the welding-engineer path requires more formal education but is the exception, not the norm. Most welders advance via certification stacking, not college credit.
Compare Welding Technology programs in other states
Same comparison view, different state systems. Useful if you’re considering an out-of-state community college or just want to see how Virginia’s welding technology programs stack up.
Other programs in Virginia
Some programs may not be offered at every college — pages render only when the program meets a coverage threshold for the state.