Welding Schools in California

It may sometimes look easy working with strong metals at incredibly high temperatures, but as many welders will tell you, it is not. To be able to perform their jobs at the very highest level while maintaining absolute safety, welders spend a great deal of time in training environments.

In case you would like to consider a career as a welder in California, this is where you must also begin your journey. Of course, in addition to graduating from a training program, there are a handful of general and state-specific requirements that must still be followed.

There is no need to get overwhelmed, however. Below we have compiled a comprehensive guide detailing everything you need to know to become a successful welder in California and have a straightforward path.

How to Become a Welder in California

The best training programs in California ensure that students are familiar with the fundamentals of common welding techniques such as Tungsten Inert Gas (TiG), Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) by the time they graduate.

After graduating, students may choose to obtain more experience on the job by completing a short apprenticeship training.

California has some specific requirements regarding certification and licensing, which we will take a deeper look at in the upcoming sections. First, however, below are some of the most notable welder training schools in the state.

Top Welder Schools in California

Explore welding schools by city:

• Welding Schools in Los Angeles

Licensure and Certification Requirements

California is one of the states that require welders to become licensed before starting working and taking on contracts. In fact, unlike many other states, California also has its certification equivalent that is quite close in standard and testing to the AWS Certified Welder credential.

This certification is known as the QC7. To sit for the exam, candidates must have graduated from an accredited welding training program lasting at least 6 months.

After getting certified, in some cases, welders in California may also need to obtain a license. These are usually for specialized fields such as the Supplement C License for Welder Performance Qualification Sheet Metal Test, Supplement F for Chemical Plant and Petroleum Refinery Piping, and the Supplement G License for AWS Performance Qualification.

Salary and Job Outlook

At $50,632, the annual salary for welders in California is no less than 10% higher than the national average. Entry-level workers earn an annual average of $32,715, while the top earners can make as high as $78,362 annually.

There are a few factors that play a role in determining just how much salary a welder earns in California. Experience, location, and specific industries are just a few of these.

For those looking to optimize based on location, Bakersfield, Sunnyvale, and San Jose are the highest-paying cities, with annual averages of $63,752, $63,451, and $57,642, respectively. Los Angeles and Santa Ana round up the top 5 with annual averages of $56,684 and $53,061.

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