Wyoming welders earn a median $63,820 a year, and you can train near Riverton through a 6-12 month certificate or a registered apprenticeship. The state employs roughly 1,850 welders. Employers value American Welding Society (AWS) and NCCER credentials over any state license.
Key Facts
Wyoming median welder wage: $63,820/yr
National median welder wage: $53,750/yr
Projected job growth: +2.2% (2024-2034)
Annual U.S. openings: 45,600/yr
Typical program length: 6-12 months (certificate)
Credentialing body: American Welding Society (AWS)
Schools below are sorted by distance from Riverton (closest first). Compare program length, schedule, and credential alignment.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 5 schools
within 141 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
5 do not have enough federal
outcome data to score, and appear last rather than being hidden.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
Annual Wage by Percentile, United States - Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and BrazersSource: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers annual wage percentiles
Percentile
Annual wage
10th
$39,240
25th
$46,790
50th (median)
$53,750
75th
$63,010
90th
$77,530
Projected employment growth, United States, Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers, 2024-2034Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers employment projection 2024 to 2034
Year
Employment
2024
457,300
2034 projected
467,200
Percent change
+2.2%
How to become a welder in Wyoming
Finish high school or earn a GED. Most welding programs and apprenticeships require a high school diploma or GED; shop math and blueprint reading help.
Complete an accredited welding program or apprenticeship. Enroll in a certificate, diploma, or associate program (about 6-12 months for a certificate, two years for a degree) or a registered apprenticeship to build core SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, and GTAW skills.
Pass hands-on qualification tests. Complete bend, visual, and performance tests on practice plates and pipe coupons to prove you can weld to code.
Earn industry certifications. Earn AWS (Certified Welder, CWI) or NCCER credentials and code qualifications such as AWS D1.1 or API 1104 that match your target employers.
Apply for welding jobs and keep credentials current. Apply to construction, manufacturing, energy, and fabrication employers across Wyoming, then maintain your qualifications with periodic retests as required.
Welding certifications & code work in Wyoming
Earn AWS Certified Welder (CW) or NCCER Welding to signal core skill.
Pass code qualifications such as AWS D1.1 (structural steel) or API 1104 (pipeline) for specialized work.
Keep practice plates and procedure logs to re-qualify when employers or inspectors require it.
Welding Apprenticeships & Pathways in Wyoming
Registered apprenticeships combine paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Welding apprenticeships commonly target several thousand hours of on-the-job training plus related technical instruction, but program totals vary - confirm exact hour requirements with the sponsor or the state apprenticeship agency before enrolling.
Wyoming welders earn a median $63,820 per year (BLS OEWS, 2025). Pay rises with AWS or NCCER certifications and specialty processes such as pipe and TIG welding.
How long is welding school in Riverton, Wyoming?
Most welding certificate or diploma programs run 6-12 months, while an associate degree takes about two years (IPEDS program data, 2023). Length depends on whether you train full or part time.
Do I need a license to weld in Wyoming?
Welding is not state-licensed like the electrical or plumbing trades; employers instead require performance qualification tests and value American Welding Society (AWS) or NCCER credentials. Confirm specific code requirements with the employer or inspector.
What welding certifications matter most to employers?
The AWS Certified Welder and Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) credentials, NCCER Welding, and code qualifications such as AWS D1.1 (structural steel) and API 1104 (pipeline) are the most widely recognized by employers.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
Data sources
Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.
Data
Provider
Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
