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30 schools in Michigan offer welding-related programs, compared below on official cost, completion, and earnings data. Prefer to earn while you learn? 55 registered apprenticeship sponsors in Michigan train welding apprentices — see apprenticeships. Federal program data groups welding with machining & cnc — schools below may offer any of these.
Michigan does not license welders for general work — no welder license exists under the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, and AWS Certified Welder is the voluntary standard employers expect. Two niche exceptions: welders installing or repairing boilers fall under LARA's boiler installer/repairer licensing (PSI exam required), and MDOT requires its own Welder Certification, tested under a Certified Welding Inspector, for bridge work. Entry routes are 6-18 month trade programs or 3-4 year paid registered apprenticeships.
Official source: None for welding — Michigan Dept. of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA); LARA's Boiler Division licenses boiler installers/repairers, and MDOT certifies bridge welders · Exam: No state exam for general welding. AWS performance test (voluntary); PSI exam for LARA boiler installer/repairer licenses; MDOT welder qualification tests for bridge work · Typical requirement: No state-mandated hours for general welding. AWS Certified Welder = pass a performance test (no coursework prerequisite). Boiler installer/repairer licenses require LARA application + PSI exam; MDOT certification requires testing witnessed by a Certified Welding Inspector. Typical programs 6-18 months; apprenticeships 3-4 years.
| School | City | Type | Net price / yr | Completion | Earnings (10 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Ford College | Dearborn | public | $660 | 22.4% | $34,795 |
| Macomb Community College | Warren | public | $1,618 | 16.6% | $41,596 |
| West Shore Community College | Scottville | public | $1,527 | 28% | $36,115 |
| Schoolcraft Community College District | Livonia | public | $2,260 | 21.3% | $42,722 |
| Kalamazoo Valley Community College | Kalamazoo | public | $2,979 | 21.5% | $38,618 |
| Washtenaw Community College | Ann Arbor | public | $3,249 | 31.1% | $39,449 |
| Alpena Community College | Alpena | public | $3,320 | 50.4% | $36,442 |
| Muskegon Community College | Muskegon | public | $4,005 | 20.9% | $36,549 |
| Monroe County Community College | Monroe | public | $4,586 | 23.6% | $41,646 |
| Delta College | University Center | public | $4,547 | 23.8% | $37,781 |
| Kellogg Community College | Battle Creek | public | $4,858 | 15.2% | $38,329 |
| Gogebic Community College | Ironwood | public | $5,397 | 34.7% | $40,950 |
| St Clair County Community College | Port Huron | public | $5,571 | 30.8% | $40,177 |
| Lansing Community College | Lansing | public | $5,437 | 19.2% | $39,206 |
| Oakland Community College | Auburn Hills | public | $5,777 | 31.6% | $37,395 |
| Southwestern Michigan College | Dowagiac | public | $5,978 | 30.4% | $37,303 |
| Northwestern Michigan College | Traverse City | public | $6,231 | 32% | $38,167 |
| Mott Community College | Flint | public | $5,687 | 21.3% | $32,538 |
| Lake Michigan College | Benton Harbor | public | $6,680 | 22.5% | $34,466 |
| Montcalm Community College | Sidney | public | $7,280 | 34.7% | $35,499 |
| Kirtland Community College | Grayling | public | $7,456 | 23% | $35,831 |
| Jackson College | Jackson | public | $7,761 | 19.5% | $36,898 |
| Mid Michigan College | Harrison | public | $8,370 | 22.9% | $37,319 |
| Grand Rapids Community College | Grand Rapids | public | $8,621 | 23.8% | $38,377 |
| Glen Oaks Community College | Centreville | public | $8,918 | 28.8% | $37,540 |
| Wayne County Community College District | Detroit | public | $7,656 | 19.7% | $29,079 |
| North Central Michigan College | Petoskey | public | $10,083 | 30.5% | $36,594 |
| Bay de Noc Community College | Escanaba | public | $11,949 | 36.5% | $35,090 |
| Universal Technical Institute-Canton | Canton | private for-profit | $22,985 | 65.8% | $62,575 |
| Michigan Career and Technical Institute | Plainwell | public | not reported | 43.9% | $29,376 |
Ranking = median earnings 10 years after entry per $1,000 of average yearly net price (methodology). Schools without both figures sort last — "not reported" means the federal dataset lacks the value, not that the school is bad.
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