Best Welding Schools in Tumwater, Washington (2026)

Quick answer: Welders in Washington earn a median of $63,020 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). This page lists accredited welder schools near Tumwater, Washington with local wage data and median graduate earnings for each school.

Welder training in Tumwater, Washington prepares students for entry-level work across the wider Washington labor market. For context, the state median annual wage for this occupation is approximately $63,020 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Tumwater Quick Facts

MetricValueSource
State median annual wage$63,020BLS OEWS, May 2025
Washington pay range (10th to 90th percentile)$47,980 to $86,250BLS OEWS, May 2025
Olympia, WA metro median wage$58,680BLS OEWS, May 2025
National job outlook (2024 to 2034)+2.2% growth, about 45,600 openings per yearBLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034
State employment7,720 workersBLS OEWS, May 2025
Thurston County unemployment rate4.6%BLS LAUS, 2024
Washington location quotient0.81BLS OEWS, May 2025

Nearby Cities

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What You’ll Find Below

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

Affordable Online Welding Programs Now Accepting Students in Tumwater, Washington:


Welding Training Near Tumwater

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

South Puget Sound Community College

Olympia, WA 2.1 miles away BOC Score 59.0
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 43.7% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 32
  • Annual completions: 436
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing: $50,185 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

Centralia College

Centralia, WA 19.2 miles away BOC Score 56.5
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 43.8% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 44
  • Annual completions: 572
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing: $52,981 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Clover Park Technical College

Lakewood, WA 23.7 miles away BOC Score 63.9
Tuition $6,634 - $18,882
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 41.8%
  • Programs offered: 61
  • Annual completions: 1796
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing: $51,699 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

Grays Harbor College

Aberdeen, WA 41.5 miles away BOC Score 71.6
Tuition $5,593 - $15,708
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 35.3%
  • Programs offered: 40
  • Annual completions: 242
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing: $46,936 (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 Washington

Most students in Washington follow this process:

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