Best Welding Schools in Columbia, South Carolina (2026)

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Quick answer: Welders in South Carolina earn a median of $49,980 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). This page lists accredited welder schools near Columbia, South Carolina with local wage data and median graduate earnings for each school.

If you want to train as a welder in Columbia, South Carolina, start by weighing program length, schedule, and cost at nearby schools. For context, the state median annual wage for this occupation is approximately $49,980 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Columbia Quick Facts

MetricValueSource
State median annual wage$49,980BLS OEWS, May 2025
South Carolina pay range (10th to 90th percentile)$38,720 to $64,510BLS OEWS, May 2025
Columbia, SC metro median wage$49,730BLS OEWS, May 2025
National job outlook (2024 to 2034)+2.2% growth, about 45,600 openings per yearBLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034
State employment7,380 workersBLS OEWS, May 2025
Richland County unemployment rate4.3%BLS LAUS, 2024
South Carolina location quotient1.20BLS OEWS, May 2025

Nearby Cities

Explore the Welder Career

What You’ll Find Below

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

Affordable Online Welding Programs Now Accepting Students in Columbia, South Carolina:

Welding Training Near Columbia

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

Midlands Technical College

West Columbia, SC 13.6 miles away BOC Score 41.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 17.1% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 55
  • Annual completions: 1119
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing: $46,832 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College

Orangeburg, SC 34.2 miles away BOC Score 51.5
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 36.6% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 41
  • Annual completions: 474
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing: $53,084 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Denmark Technical College

Denmark, SC 51.2 miles away BOC Score 16.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 13.0% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 21
  • Annual completions: 89
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing: $28,350 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

York Technical College

Rock Hill, SC 62.2 miles away BOC Score 40.4
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 63
  • Annual completions: 1055
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing: $47,738 (College Scorecard)

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
Data Year: 2025 SOC: 51-4121 Source: BLS OEWS

Enrollment & Certification Pathway in South Carolina

Most students in South Carolina follow this process:

  1. Apply to an accredited welding school or trade program in Columbia.
  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/.