Best Welding Schools in Turlock, California (2026)

Quick answer: Welders in California earn a median of $58,060 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). This page lists accredited welder schools near Turlock, California with local wage data and median graduate earnings for each school.

This guide rounds up welder schools serving Turlock, California and the local job-market figures worth checking first. For context, the state median annual wage for this occupation is approximately $58,060 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Turlock Quick Facts

MetricValueSource
State median annual wage$58,060BLS OEWS, May 2025
California pay range (10th to 90th percentile)$44,520 to $81,940BLS OEWS, May 2025
Modesto, CA metro median wage$52,590BLS OEWS, May 2025
National job outlook (2024 to 2034)+2.2% growth, about 45,600 openings per yearBLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034
State employment26,060 workersBLS OEWS, May 2025
Stanislaus County unemployment rate6.9%BLS LAUS, 2024
California location quotient0.53BLS OEWS, May 2025

Nearby Cities

Explore the Welder Career

What You’ll Find Below

The school listings below are sorted by proximity to Turlock. Each entry includes the school name, address, and the credentials offered. Use the Stanislaus County and California figures above as a reference point when comparing program length, schedule, and tuition.

Affordable Online Welding Programs Now Accepting Students in Turlock, California:


Welding Training Near Turlock

How We Rank Schools

Local school lists are ordered by location first, using the distance from the city or state page you are viewing. Each eligible school also shows a BOC Score, computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data.

Location / proximity to this page
Primary local sort
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%

Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Modesto Junior College

Modesto, CA 13.0 miles away BOC Score 64.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 27.8% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 62
  • Annual completions: 1195
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing: $46,619 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

Merced College

Merced, CA 24.2 miles away BOC Score 51.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 32.2% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 54
  • Annual completions: 1646
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing: $51,136 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Columbia College

Sonora, CA 44.5 miles away BOC Score 32.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 28.5% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 18
  • Annual completions: 136
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing: $45,420 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

Las Positas College

Livermore, CA 53.3 miles away BOC Score 71.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 41
  • Annual completions: 353
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing: $52,625 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

Welder Salary Snapshot

U.S.
U.S. Median Pay $53,750 $25.84 per hour
Job Outlook 2.2% 9,900 jobs (2024–2034)
45,600 openings/yr

Enrollment & Certification Pathway in California

Most students in California follow this process:

  1. Apply to an accredited welding school or trade program in Turlock.
  2. Complete hands-on labs, pass bend and visual tests, and earn AWS certifications that match your goals.
  3. Gain experience through shop work, construction, or fabrication roles - then pursue NCCER or advanced AWS credentials.

Welder Salary in U.S.

Median Salary $53,750 $25.84/hr
Average Salary $56,760 $27.29/hr

Salary Range

$39,240 10th pctl
$53,750 Median
$77,530 90th pctl
10th Percentile $39,240 $18.87/hr
25th Percentile $46,790 $22.50/hr
75th Percentile $63,010 $30.29/hr
90th Percentile $77,530 $37.28/hr

Employment & Outlook

Total Employed416,210
Growth (2024-2034)2.2%
Annual Openings45,600
Jobs per 1,0002.7

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers (51-4121) • BLS OEWS, May 2025 • bls.gov/oes

Next Steps


About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade career guide using BLS, DOL, and state licensing data. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.