After the 2008/2009 recession, Ohio’s manufacturing sector has seen steady growth, which has also impacted the demand for numerous professional skills including skilled welders. In fact, the demand for welders has risen quite well and the American Welding Society (AWS) projected that the welder shortage in the United States will reach a deficit of 400,000 workers by 2024. Some other industry watchers even worry it will climb even higher.
The manufacturing sector is not the only one in demand for welders, the construction and maintenance sectors are also calling out for them. It now boils down to enrolling in one of the best welding schools in Ohio which provides the right skills and training needed to Kickstart your career.
Moreover, there are very affordable welding classes in San Antonio & Houston, Philadelphia, Georgia, etc, that still provide top-notch welding education.
Best Welding Schools in Ohio
1. Hobart Institute of Welding Technology
- Tuition: between $14,200 to $23,400
- Location: 400 Trade Square E, Troy, OH 45373
- Accredited: Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges
Hobart Institute of Welding Technology is one of the Ohio-accredited welding schools that has a strong national reputation for providing the best welding programs and certifications. With more than 90 years of experience in teaching welding, they understand what can make a student to be in demand in a competitive environment.
They also have graduated more than 100,000 students, provide an industry-leading curriculum, and provide employment assistance to their graduates.
You can either choose their Structural Welding Program which costs $14,200 and takes just 24 weeks to complete or the Pathways Welding Program which costs $23,400 and takes 40 Weeks to complete.
Hobart Institute of Welding Technology also provides some individual courses that take between a few days to a few weeks to complete making them one of the best welding schools in Colorado.
2. Stark State College Welding and Joining Center
- Location: 33 N Union St, Akron, OH 44304
- Tuition: $194.60 per credit hour (in-state students)
This is among the associate degrees in welding in Ohio that provide students with a strong foundation in the theory and practice of welding, as well as hands-on instruction and core skills.
One of the things that made us choose them as among the top welding schools in Ohio is because of their desperate desire for better welding education. This desire made them recently open a new, state-of-the-art Welding and Joining Center to serve their community’s need for highly trained welding professionals.
You can either choose one of their short-term certificates or their 1-year welding certificate.
Another interesting thing is Stark State provides financial aid and scholarships to help its students reduce their fees.
3. Elite Welding Academy
- Tuition: Varies
- Locations:
- 4670 Dues Drive Cincinnati, Ohio 45246
- 1910 County Road 1 South Point, Ohio 45680
- Accreditation: AWS Accredited Test Facility and NCCER Accredited Training Sponsor and Assessment Center
To provide top-notch education Elite Welding Academy only has instructors who are all experienced field welders with more than 15 years of experience, making it one of the best welding schools in Ohio. In the class, you’ll be gaining hands-on welding training in welding safety, equipment setup, and welding procedures, which will prepare you for careers in industries such as manufacturing, construction, and pipeline work.
Their small class size also gives them the advantage of providing personalized training where you’ll have closer interaction with your instructors and build stronger rapport with them.
You can either choose from their 6-month Welding Training program or their corporate welding training.
4. Lincoln Electric Welding Technology & Training Center (WTTC)
- Tuition: $6,350 (Scholarships available)
- Location: 22800 St Clair Ave., Euclid, OH 44117
A 130,000-square-foot building is dedicated to the establishment of the Lincoln Electric Welding Technology & Training Center (WTTC). This gives them the opportunity to provide state-of-the-art facilities to train educators, industry leaders, and skilled trade workers in the craft and science of welding.
WTTC provides 166 welding and cutting booths, a virtual reality training lab, a 100-seat auditorium, and extensive seminar and welding classroom space to advance technical skills. This makes them to be recognized both nationally and internationally.
To welcome any kind of individual, whether a beginner desiring a basic certificate, an instructor intending to teach welding for the first time, or a professional intending to be ahead of the technology curve. WTTC provides basic welding classes up through the latest in advanced manufacturing technologies.
To spice everything up, WTTC makes it easier for graduates to be employed, you will be reserved a spot to work AT Lincoln Electric, which means employment is just at your doorstep.
5. Ohio Technical College – Welding & Fabrication Technology
- Total Cost: $39,496
- Tuition Per Quarter: $7,274
- Location: 1374 E 51st Street Cleveland, OH 44103
With their provision of an Associate of Applied Science in Welding Fabrication Technology, you’ll be able to become an entry-level combination welder, fitter, general fabricator, or steel construction worker. This Technical College is not just one of the best welding schools in Ohio it is also ranked #4 with the highest employment level in welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
If you’re looking for a school that guarantees employment due to its excellent welding education, this is one of the places to be.
The program will last for 48 weeks / 1200 Clock Hours where you’ll have a solid foundation and background in basic and advanced principles, theory, practices, and application of welding.
6. Cincinnati State Technical and Community College
- Tuition:
- $183.64 per credit hour (in-state students)
- $367.28 per credit hour (out-of-state students)
- Location: 3520 Central Pkwy, Cincinnati, OH 45223
Cincinnati State provides both an Associate of Applied Science in Welding Technologies and a shorter certificate that can prepare you for immediate employment in organizations where welders are in demand.
Their AAS in Welding Technology takes 6 semesters to complete where you will begin with Fundamentals of Welding, Print Reading, and Weld Design, progress to MET Computer Aided Drafting, and in the last semester, you’ll learn Welding Inspection and Codes.
To help students reduce their cost of studying in this program, Cincinnati State provides different types of Financial Aid like grants, scholarships, student loans, and a work-study program.
7. Owens Community College
- Tuition:
- $172.50 per credit hour (in-state tuition)
- $345 per credit hour (out-of-state tuition).
- Location: 30335 Oregon Road Perrysburg, OH 43551
Just like most other Ohio-accredited welding schools we’ve listed, Owens Community College also provides both AAS in Welding and Pipe Welding Certificates. We chose them as among the best welding schools in Ohio because of how they train students in all aspects of welding including stick, gas, MIG, and TIG welding.
Also, Owens Community College goes further to provide different types of financial aid including Grants, Scholarships, Federal Work-Study, Loans, Veterans’ Benefits, etc.
Average Cost of Welding Schools in Ohio
The average cost of attending one of these best welding schools in Ohio depends on factors like whether the school is a private or public community college, the length of the program, and some other additional fees that the school will charge.
A private school will definitely charge more fees than a public community college and in this case, you can pay between $15,000 and $20,000 in a private school vs $8,000 to $12,000 in a public school for a welding program.
Also, an Associate Degree comes out more expensive compared to a certificate. Another factor to consider includes financial aid and scholarships which can help subsidize the fees.
The bright side is we provide the up-to-date tuition fee for each top welding schools in Ohio we have provided in our list.
Ohio Welding Career Opportunities
As we said earlier, Ohio is a State with a strong manufacturing sector, which also means there is a good demand for skilled welders in different industries. Here are some welding career opportunities in Ohio:
- Shipbuilding and repair – best around the Great Lakes region which has a strong shipbuilding presence.
- Construction equipment manufacturing
- Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems
- Boilers and pressure vessels
- Fences, railings, and metal furniture
- Automotive – it’s not news again that Ohio’s auto industry employs lots of specialists including welders.
- Aerospace and Defense industry
- Natural gas pipelines
- Oil pipelines
- Power generation (boilers, turbines)
- Farm equipment repair
- Medical device manufacturing
The list can go on and on depending on the niche.
Key Takeaway
As an aspiring welder, you can see that with the help of the thriving manufacturing sector in Ohio, you have enormous opportunities to have a fulfilling career. With the help of these best welding schools in Ohio, you’ll be able to get the right skills and certifications needed to enter this rewarding career path.
Remember, choosing the best school is subjective, it totally depends on your goals and needs. So, focus on that when choosing any of these schools.
FAQ
What skills are employers seeking in Welders?
Just like most other employers in the country, employers in Ohio are also looking for welders with a combination of technical skills and personal qualities.
Technical skills such as competence in welding processes, ability to read and interpret blueprints and welding symbols, knowledge of welding safety procedures and regulations, metal cutting and fabrication skills, etc.
Personal Qualities such as strong work ethic and dedication, hand-eye coordination, excellent problem-solving skills, excellent physical stamina and ability to work in various positions, strong work ethic and the ability to meet deadlines, etc.
What are the different welding Processes?
There are a lot of different welding processes, some of the popular ones include;
- Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)
- Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)
- Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW)
- Submerged Arc Welding (SAW)
