What apprenticeships are available for welders in Rhode Island?

In Rhode Island, registered apprenticeships are administered through the Rhode Island Office of Apprenticeship, which works with employers and trade union locals to register programs. See the apprenticeship section above for office contact details.

How to Become a Welder in Rhode Island (2026)

Q: How much do welders earn in Rhode Island?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), welders in Rhode Island earned a median annual wage of approximately $50,580. Employment concentration in Rhode Island is about 1.71 times the national average for this occupation.

Q: Do welders need a license in Rhode Island?

Yes. Rhode Island requires state-level licensing or registration for welders, administered by the RI Department of Labor and Training - Professional Regulation. See the licensing section above for credential types and current requirements.

Q: What is the job outlook for welders in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island currently employs approximately 2,300 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 2.2% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Rhode Island welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earn a median annual wage of $50,580 ($24.32/hr) according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), with about 2,300 workers employed statewide. The state median is approximately -5.9% below the national median of $53,750 for the same occupation.

Key Takeaways

Median annual pay: $50,580 ($24.32/hr)
25th percentile: $50,580 per year
75th percentile: $68,260 per year
Top 10% earn: more than $81,000 per year
Entry-level (bottom 10%): under $35,560 per year
Workers employed in Rhode Island: 2,300
Versus national median: -5.9% below the U.S. median of $53,750
Job concentration: Location quotient 1.71 - this occupation is more concentrated in Rhode Island than the national average

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Last reviewed June 8, 2026.

Rhode Island employs about 2,300 welders earning a median $50,580 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). No statewide license is required; most welders train through a certificate program and earn an industry certification before employers will hire them.

Compare Welder Schools in Rhode Island

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Tuition is the published annual figure for the latest reported year and excludes room, board, books and fees. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition (published, per year)	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	Modern Welding School	71.0	Contact school for pricing	$54,701	94%	—	143 mi
2	Hudson Valley Community College	62.7	$6,796 in-state / $11,852 out-of-state	$54,719	35%	Yes*	131 mi
Sponsored Ad
3	New England Institute of Technology	62.3	$37,275	$62,151	60%	Yes*	12 mi
4	Goodwin University	57.9	$21,198	$72,845	58%	Yes*	64 mi
Sponsored Ad
5	Manchester Community College	54.0	$7,090 in-state / $15,340 out-of-state	$44,863	41%	Yes*	83 mi
6	Connecticut State Community College	47.6	$5,338 in-state / $15,596 out-of-state	$50,130	24%	Yes*	65 mi
Sponsored Ad
7	Porter & Chester Institute	47.5	$14,349	$46,863	45%	Yes*	101 mi
8	Great Bay Community College	44.3	$7,200 in-state / $15,450 out-of-state	$54,407	34%	—	92 mi
Sponsored Ad
9	Lincoln Technical Institute-East Windsor	40.4	Contact school for pricing	$47,136	62%	—	61 mi
10	Technology Learning Center	Not rated	Contact school for pricing	Not reported	Not reported	—	32 mi
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Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

Rhode Island employs approximately 2,300 welders according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $50,580 ¹. The state’s concentration of welder jobs is 1.71x the national average, indicating strong demand. Nationally, welder employment is projected to grow 2.2% from 2024 to 2034, with about 45,600 openings per year ². This page covers how to become a Welder in Rhode Island, including certification options, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Training paths: trade school, community college, or apprenticeship
Typical timeline: 1 to 5 years depending on the path
Licensing authority: RI Department of Labor and Training - Professional Regulation
Median wage (Rhode Island): $50,580 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Welder in Rhode Island

How to become a Welder in Rhode Island? Rhode Island requires credentials such as Welder. The licensing authority is the RI Department of Labor and Training - Professional Regulation ³. You also need to complete an approved training program or apprenticeship.

How long does it take? Most paths into the welder field take 1 to 5 years, depending on whether you complete a trade school program, a registered apprenticeship, or a combination of both.

Do I need a license in Rhode Island? Yes. Rhode Island has licensing or registration requirements for welders. The RI Department of Labor and Training - Professional Regulation oversees licensing ³. See the licensing section below for details.

What do welders earn in Rhode Island? The median annual wage for welders in Rhode Island is $50,580 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $35,560 and experienced professionals can earn $81,000 or more ¹.

How to Become a Welder in Rhode Island

Finish high school or earn a GED. Most Rhode Island training programs and registered apprenticeships require a high school diploma or GED to enroll.
Complete a training program or apprenticeship. Enroll in an approved trade school program or a registered apprenticeship in Rhode Island that combines classroom instruction with supervised hands-on hours.
Gain supervised work experience. Build documented on-the-job hours under a qualified supervisor; confirm the exact total currently required with the licensing board.
Earn an industry certification. While Rhode Island does not require a statewide license, earn AWS Certified Welder (CW) to meet employer expectations and improve hiring prospects.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the state board before you apply.

Welder License Requirements in Rhode Island

The RI Department of Labor and Training - Professional Regulation oversees welder licensing in Rhode Island ³.

License Types

License	Requirements
Welder	Welders use hand welding and flame-cutting equipment to weld together metal components and parts or to cut, trim, or scarf metal objects to dimensions, as specified by layouts, work orders, or bluepri…

License information sourced from CareerOneStop ⁴.

Welder Apprenticeship Information in Rhode Island

Apprenticeships combine paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction and typically last 3 to 5 years. Rhode Island’s apprenticeship program is administered by the Rhode Island Office of Apprenticeship ⁵.

Contact Information:

Office: Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training
Address: 1511 Pontiac Avenue, Cranston, RI 02920-0943
Phone: (401) 462-8536
Email: [email protected]

Welder Wages by Metro Area in Rhode Island

Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers Wages by Metro Area in Rhode Island

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers wages in Rhode Island vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Providence-Warwick	2,490	$52,800	$58,800	$35,580	$81,000

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for welders in Rhode Island? Rhode Island currently employs approximately 2,300 welders ¹. Nationally, welder employment is projected to grow 2.2% from 2024 to 2034 ².

Can I work as a welder in Rhode Island with an out-of-state license? Contact the RI Department of Labor and Training - Professional Regulation for details on reciprocity and credential transfer.

What training programs are available in Rhode Island? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and apprenticeship programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Rhode Island. You can also contact the Rhode Island Office of Apprenticeship for apprenticeship opportunities.

How much do welders earn in Rhode Island compared to the national average? The median annual wage for welders in Rhode Island is $50,580, which is $420 below the national median of $51,000 according to BLS data ¹.

In Rhode Island

Best Trade Schools in Rhode Island (2026)

Top local programs

Explore More Trades in Rhode Island

Citations

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/.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎
RI Department of Labor and Training - Professional Regulation - Licensing Information: https://dlt.ri.gov/regulation-and-safety/professional-regulation ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
CareerOneStop - Licensed Occupations: https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Training/find-licenses.aspx ↩︎
Rhode Island Office of Apprenticeship: http://www.dlt.ri.gov/apprenticeship/ ↩︎

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)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)	U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)	O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)