60 schools in Ohio offer welding-related programs, compared below on official cost, completion, and earnings data. Prefer to earn while you learn? 17 registered apprenticeship sponsors in Ohio train welding apprentices — see apprenticeships. Federal program data groups welding with machining & cnc — schools below may offer any of these.
Ohio does not license welders — the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board issues state licenses only for electrical, HVAC, hydronics, plumbing, and refrigeration contractors, and welding is not on the list. Employers typically require AWS Certified Welder or code-specific qualifications such as AWS D1.1 or ASME Section IX for structural and pressure work. Training runs 6-18 months at a trade school or 3-4 years in a paid registered apprenticeship.
Official source: None — Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board licenses only electrical, HVAC, hydronics, plumbing, and refrigeration contractors; welding is not included · Exam: No state exam. AWS Certified Welder performance test (voluntary); ASME Section IX qualification for pressure work as required by employers · Typical requirement: No state-mandated hours. AWS Certified Welder = pass a performance test (no prerequisite coursework); welders on boilers/pressure vessels must be qualified to ASME Section IX per code. Typical programs 6-18 months; apprenticeships 3-4 years.
| School | City | Type | Net price / yr | Completion | Earnings (10 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lorain County Community College | Elyria | public | $3,967 | 29% | $38,837 |
| Cuyahoga Community College District | Cleveland | public | $4,266 | 19.1% | $35,654 |
| North Central State College | Mansfield | public | $4,687 | 30% | $38,158 |
| Cincinnati State Technical and Community College | Cincinnati | public | $4,968 | 27.1% | $40,137 |
| Sinclair Community College | Dayton | public | $5,992 | 29.4% | $37,558 |
| Stark State College | North Canton | public | $5,986 | 29% | $34,661 |
| Marion Technical College | Marion | public | $7,417 | 28.6% | $41,495 |
| Buckeye Joint Vocational School | New Philadelphia | public | $6,545 | 87.4% | $35,889 |
| Lakeland Community College | Kirtland | public | $7,606 | 21.1% | $39,612 |
| Belmont College | St Clairsville | public | $6,995 | 42.9% | $35,329 |
| Collins Career Technical Center | Chesapeake | public | $9,468 | 58.3% | $47,329 |
| Washington State College of Ohio | Marietta | public | $7,714 | 39% | $37,988 |
| Columbus State Community College | Columbus | public | $8,400 | 29.7% | $39,435 |
| Great Oaks Career Campuses | Cincinnati | public | $12,037 | 73.6% | $55,163 |
| Ashtabula County Technical and Career Campus | Jefferson | public | $9,599 | 53.9% | $42,163 |
| Zane State College | Zanesville | public | $8,062 | 36.4% | $35,006 |
| Polaris Career Center | Middleburg Heights | public | $9,931 | 80.4% | $38,718 |
| Owens Community College | Perrysburg | public | $10,369 | 40.3% | $37,275 |
| Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center | Ashland | public | $9,303 | 81.3% | $31,791 |
| Clark State College | Springfield | public | $12,135 | 31.3% | $39,584 |
| Upper Valley Career Center | Piqua | public | $16,282 | 63.9% | $52,170 |
| Lorain County Joint Vocational School District | Oberlin | public | $11,578 | 82.9% | $35,776 |
| Auburn Career Center | Concord Twp | public | $12,051 | 71.3% | $37,032 |
| Northwest State Community College | Archbold | public | $13,555 | 31.2% | $40,004 |
| Hobart Institute of Welding Technology | Troy | private nonprofit | $21,409 | 88.9% | $60,955 |
| Eastland-Fairfield Career and Technical Schools | Groveport | public | $15,732 | 73.8% | $43,780 |
| Columbiana County Career and Technical Center | Lisbon | public | $12,133 | 76.4% | $33,552 |
| Hocking College | Nelsonville | public | $13,704 | 40.2% | $37,791 |
| ETI Technical College of Niles | Niles | private for-profit | $13,665 | 63.2% | $34,017 |
| Scioto County Career Technical Center | Lucasville | public | $16,765 | 73.4% | $40,584 |
| Buckeye Hills Career Center | Rio Grande | public | $17,231 | 85.9% | $40,264 |
| Madison Adult Career Center | Mansfield | public | $14,218 | 84.9% | $30,941 |
| Terra State Community College | Fremont | public | $17,345 | 22.2% | $36,612 |
| Warren County Career Center | Lebanon | public | $24,731 | 79.9% | $49,016 |
| Canton City Schools Adult Career and Technical Education | Canton | public | $21,634 | 77.8% | $42,134 |
| Tri-Rivers Career Center | Marion | public | $25,605 | not reported | $48,707 |
| Cuyahoga Valley Career Center | Brecksville | public | $26,966 | 73.2% | $47,914 |
| Portage Lakes Career Center | Uniontown | public | $21,759 | 68.8% | $38,316 |
| University of Rio Grande | Rio Grande | private nonprofit | $23,686 | 38.6% | $41,478 |
| Stautzenberger College-Maumee | Maumee | private for-profit | $21,756 | 54.8% | $34,104 |
| Fortis College-Cuyahoga Falls | Cuyahoga Falls | private for-profit | $23,374 | 58.4% | $34,509 |
| Wayne County Schools Career Center | Smithville | public | $29,232 | 77% | $42,774 |
| Ohio Technical College | Cleveland | private for-profit | $34,972 | 76.2% | $48,450 |
| Fortis College-Cincinnati | Cincinnati | private for-profit | $29,614 | 51.6% | $36,368 |
| Apollo Career Center | Lima | public | not reported | 66.8% | $43,101 |
| Butler Technology and Career Development Schools | Monroe | public | not reported | 81.3% | $56,645 |
| EHOVE Career Center | Milan | public | not reported | 88.7% | $40,117 |
| Tri-County Adult Career Center | Nelsonville | public | not reported | 90.2% | $26,129 |
| Knox County Career Center | Mount Vernon | public | not reported | not reported | $38,212 |
| Brown & Clermont Adult Career Campuses | Bethel | public | not reported | 88.6% | not reported |
| Mid-EastCTC-Adult Education | Zanesville | public | not reported | 72.3% | $40,416 |
| Mahoning County Career and Technical Center | Canfield | public | not reported | 83.6% | $37,526 |
| Pickaway Ross Joint Vocational School District | Chillicothe | public | not reported | 97.6% | $46,485 |
| Pioneer Career and Technology Center | Shelby | public | not reported | not reported | $32,219 |
| Career and Technology Education Centers of Licking County | Newark | public | not reported | 83% | $38,002 |
| Washington County Career Center-Adult Technical Training | Marietta | public | not reported | 82.8% | $43,749 |
| Vantage Career Center | Van Wert | public | not reported | 86.6% | $33,875 |
| Vanguard-Sentinel Adult Career and Technology Center | Fremont | public | not reported | 70.6% | $33,907 |
| Elite Welding Academy LLC | Cincinnati | private for-profit | $31,701 | 89.8% | not reported |
| Elite Welding Academy South Point | South Point | private for-profit | $24,642 | not reported | not reported |
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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