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Welding classes in South Bend

11 welding programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

4 schools offer these welding programs with classes in the South Bend-Mishawaka area, and every one is approved for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Welders join and cut metal parts with hand-held or remotely controlled equipment. Most have a high school diploma plus technical training, and some employers ask for a certification for particular jobs.1 In South Bend, 2 of the 11 programs take students without a high school diploma.

See the 11 programs

All 84 welding programs in Indiana, including online programs

How much do welding classes cost in South Bend?

$1,500 to $2,575

is what most programs cost if you pay yourself

All 11 programs with a price: $1,500 to $16,588

Finished the program
Not reported
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Length
8 to 11 weeks

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). How these figures are made

Are there free welding classes in South Bend?

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 11 welding programs in South Bend approved for funding

Filters
What you need to enroll
Kind of program
How it's taught
How to show the list

11 programs

  • General weldingIn personNo diploma needed

    Welding Certification Preparation (south Bend/elkhart)

    Ivy Tech Community College, South Bend

    No diploma needed

    Ivy Tech Community College, South Bend · General welding · In person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimated$32,900
    Price if you pay yourself$3,200
    Program website, Welding Certification Preparation (south Bend/elkhart) at Ivy Tech Community College
    More details about Welding Certification Preparation (south Bend/elkhart) at Ivy Tech Community College
    Finished
    91%
    Working at 6 months
    43%
    Earned in a quarter
    $8,220
    Length
    10 weeks, 12 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    194
    a year, estimated
    $32,900
    price
    $3,200

  • Single welding processIn personPrerequisite courses

    Gas Metal Arc Welding Certification Training

    South Bend Schools Adult Education, South Bend

    Prerequisite courses

    South Bend Schools Adult Education, South Bend · Single welding process · In person · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimated$29,400
    Price if you pay yourself$1,950
    Program website, Gas Metal Arc Welding Certification Training at South Bend Schools Adult Education
    More details about Gas Metal Arc Welding Certification Training at South Bend Schools Adult Education
    Finished
    93%
    Working at 6 months
    76%
    Earned in a quarter
    $7,360
    Length
    12 weeks, 6 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $120
    Students counted
    29
    a year, estimated
    $29,400
    price
    $1,950

  • General weldingIn personEducation and courses

    Welding Technology - Certificate

    Southwestern Michigan College, Dowagiac

    Education and courses

    Southwestern Michigan College, Dowagiac · General welding · In person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimated$35,100
    Price if you pay yourself$8,387
    Program website, Welding Technology - Certificate at Southwestern Michigan College
    More details about Welding Technology - Certificate at Southwestern Michigan College
    Finished
    82%
    Working at 6 months
    35%
    Earned in a quarter
    $8,766
    Length
    30 weeks, 19 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $1,621
    Students counted
    27
    a year, estimated
    $35,100
    price
    $8,387

  • General weldingIn personNo diploma needed

    Weld 100 - Welding Fundamentals

    Abtrex Industries Inc., South Bend

    No diploma needed

    Abtrex Industries Inc., South Bend · General welding · In person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,500
    Program website, Weld 100 - Welding Fundamentals at Abtrex Industries Inc.
    More details about Weld 100 - Welding Fundamentals at Abtrex Industries Inc.
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    8 weeks, 6 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    19
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $1,500

  • Welding (associate degree)In personEducation and courses

    Welding Technology - AAS

    Southwestern Michigan College, Dowagiac

    Education and courses

    Southwestern Michigan College, Dowagiac · Welding (associate degree) · In person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$16,588
    Program website, Welding Technology - AAS at Southwestern Michigan College
    More details about Welding Technology - AAS at Southwestern Michigan College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    60 weeks, 19 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $2,325
    Students counted
    29
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $16,588

  • Single welding processIn personPrerequisite courses

    Weld 108 - Shielded Metal Arc Welding

    Abtrex Industries Inc., South Bend

    Prerequisite courses

    Abtrex Industries Inc., South Bend · Single welding process · In person · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,500
    Program website, Weld 108 - Shielded Metal Arc Welding at Abtrex Industries Inc.
    More details about Weld 108 - Shielded Metal Arc Welding at Abtrex Industries Inc.
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    8 weeks, 8 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $1,500

  • Single welding processIn personPrerequisite courses

    Weld 206 Shielded Metal Arc Welding Ii

    Abtrex Industries Inc., South Bend

    Prerequisite courses

    Abtrex Industries Inc., South Bend · Single welding process · In person · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,500
    Program website, Weld 206 Shielded Metal Arc Welding Ii at Abtrex Industries Inc.
    More details about Weld 206 Shielded Metal Arc Welding Ii at Abtrex Industries Inc.
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    8 weeks, 6 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $1,500

  • Single welding processIn personPrerequisite courses

    Weld 207 - Gas Metal Arc (mig) Welding

    Abtrex Industries Inc., South Bend

    Prerequisite courses

    Abtrex Industries Inc., South Bend · Single welding process · In person · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,500
    Program website, Weld 207 - Gas Metal Arc (mig) Welding at Abtrex Industries Inc.
    More details about Weld 207 - Gas Metal Arc (mig) Welding at Abtrex Industries Inc.
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    8 weeks, 8 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $1,500

  • Single welding processIn personPrerequisite courses

    Weld 208 - Gas Tungsten Arc (tig) Welding

    Abtrex Industries Inc., South Bend

    Prerequisite courses

    Abtrex Industries Inc., South Bend · Single welding process · In person · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,500
    Program website, Weld 208 - Gas Tungsten Arc (tig) Welding at Abtrex Industries Inc.
    More details about Weld 208 - Gas Tungsten Arc (tig) Welding at Abtrex Industries Inc.
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    8 weeks, 7 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $1,500

  • Single welding processIn personPrerequisite courses

    Weld 272 - Advanced Gas Metal Arc Welding

    Abtrex Industries Inc., South Bend

    Prerequisite courses

    Abtrex Industries Inc., South Bend · Single welding process · In person · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,500
    Program website, Weld 272 - Advanced Gas Metal Arc Welding at Abtrex Industries Inc.
    More details about Weld 272 - Advanced Gas Metal Arc Welding at Abtrex Industries Inc.
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    8 weeks, 8 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $1,500

  • Single welding processIn personPrerequisite courses

    Weld 273 - Gas Tungsten Arc Welding Ll

    Abtrex Industries Inc., South Bend

    Prerequisite courses

    Abtrex Industries Inc., South Bend · Single welding process · In person · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,500
    Program website, Weld 273 - Gas Tungsten Arc Welding Ll at Abtrex Industries Inc.
    More details about Weld 273 - Gas Tungsten Arc Welding Ll at Abtrex Industries Inc.
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    8 weeks, 6 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $1,500

How to pay for welding classes in South Bend

Workforce funding can pay for welding classes in South Bend

Every program on this page is approved for public workforce funding, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. It can pay for training for eligible adults, people who lost their job and young people.2People on public assistance, with a low income or lacking basic skills come first, and veterans have priority.3

Ask at an American Job Center

Eligibility rules apply, and services vary from state to state. Your local American Job Center can tell you whether you qualify. The Department of Labor's page links to the center finder, or call 1-877-US-2JOBS (1-877-872-5627).4

Financial aid and grants for welding classes

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.56

GI Bill for welding classes

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.7

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Where the South Bend welding program numbers come from

Which South Bend welding programs are on this list?

These are the welding programs with classes in the South Bend-Mishawaka area that are approved for public workforce funding (the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). The list covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Online programs are left out here; they are on the Indiana page. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what the area offers.

How South Bend welding program prices are reported

The price is tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported it. Prices under $100 are treated as not reported, because the file holds many blanks entered as $0. Check the current price with the school.

What the graduate results of these programs measure

The figures at the top of this page are the middle program among those that report results: half did better, half did worse. Results describe students who left each program in recent years: the share who finished, the share working in the second quarter after leaving, and the middle earnings of those working in that quarter. States report earnings for that one quarter because they take them from the wage reports employers file every three months. The yearly figure here is that quarter times four, rounded to the nearest $100: an estimate, and an early one, since it is measured about half a year after training. The quarter as reported is under "More details" on each program. Results are withheld for small programs, and they describe past students, so they are no guarantee.

Why do some welding programs say "Not reported"?

Where a school or the state left a field empty, or the Department of Labor withheld it, the page says "Not reported". Nothing here is estimated to fill a gap.

Why the kind of school is left off each program

The file also records whether a school is public, private or nonprofit, but those entries are wrong too often to print next to a school's name, so this page leaves them out.

Sources for the facts about welding classes in South Bend

Show the 7 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
  2. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  3. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  4. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  5. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  6. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  7. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs