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Welding classes in Portland

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

5 schools offer these welding programs with classes in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro 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 Portland, 2 of the 12 programs take students without a high school diploma, and 2 are taught partly or fully online.

See the 12 programs

All 24 welding programs in Oregon, including online programs

How much do welding classes cost in Portland?

$2,538 to $8,217

is what most programs cost if you pay yourself

All 12 programs with a price: $1,932 to $28,284

Finished the program
50%
Working 6 months later
67%
Earned a year, estimated
about $34,800
Length
22 to 48 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 Portland?

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

All 12 welding programs in Portland approved for funding

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

12 programs

  • General weldingHybridHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Welding

    Charter College / Vancouver, Vancouver

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Charter College / Vancouver, Vancouver · General welding · Hybrid · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$41,200
    Price if you pay yourself$28,284
    Program website, Welding at Charter College / Vancouver
    More details about Welding at Charter College / Vancouver
    Finished
    49%
    Working at 6 months
    84%
    Earned in a quarter
    $10,291
    Length
    40 weeks, 18 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    206
    a year, estimated
    $41,200
    price
    $28,284

  • Single welding processIn personPrerequisite courses

    Flux Core Arc Welding

    Clark College, Vancouver

    Prerequisite courses

    Clark College, Vancouver · Single welding process · In person · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimated$34,800
    Price if you pay yourself$2,538
    Program website, Flux Core Arc Welding at Clark College
    More details about Flux Core Arc Welding at Clark College
    Finished
    50%
    Working at 6 months
    67%
    Earned in a quarter
    $8,704
    Length
    12 weeks, 20 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    34
    a year, estimated
    $34,800
    price
    $2,538

  • Single welding processIn personPrerequisite courses

    Gas Metal Arc Welding

    Clark College, Vancouver

    Prerequisite courses

    Clark College, Vancouver · Single welding process · In person · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimated$34,800
    Price if you pay yourself$2,538
    Program website, Gas Metal Arc Welding at Clark College
    More details about Gas Metal Arc Welding at Clark College
    Finished
    50%
    Working at 6 months
    67%
    Earned in a quarter
    $8,704
    Length
    12 weeks, 20 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    34
    a year, estimated
    $34,800
    price
    $2,538

  • Single welding processHybridPrerequisite courses

    Gas Tungsten Arc Welding

    Clark College, Vancouver

    Prerequisite courses

    Clark College, Vancouver · Single welding process · Hybrid · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimated$34,800
    Price if you pay yourself$2,538
    Program website, Gas Tungsten Arc Welding at Clark College
    More details about Gas Tungsten Arc Welding at Clark College
    Finished
    50%
    Working at 6 months
    67%
    Earned in a quarter
    $8,704
    Length
    22 weeks, 11 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    34
    a year, estimated
    $34,800
    price
    $2,538

  • Single welding processIn personPrerequisite courses

    Shielded Metal Arc Welding

    Clark College, Vancouver

    Prerequisite courses

    Clark College, Vancouver · Single welding process · In person · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimated$34,800
    Price if you pay yourself$2,538
    Program website, Shielded Metal Arc Welding at Clark College
    More details about Shielded Metal Arc Welding at Clark College
    Finished
    50%
    Working at 6 months
    67%
    Earned in a quarter
    $8,704
    Length
    22 weeks, 11 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    34
    a year, estimated
    $34,800
    price
    $2,538

  • Single welding processIn personPrerequisite courses

    Welding Tech - SMAW Arc Welding/Oxyfuel Processes

    Clark College, Vancouver

    Prerequisite courses

    Clark College, Vancouver · Single welding process · In person · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimated$34,800
    Price if you pay yourself$4,501
    Program website, Welding Tech - SMAW Arc Welding/Oxyfuel Processes at Clark College
    More details about Welding Tech - SMAW Arc Welding/Oxyfuel Processes at Clark College
    Finished
    50%
    Working at 6 months
    67%
    Earned in a quarter
    $8,704
    Length
    30 weeks, 14 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    34
    a year, estimated
    $34,800
    price
    $4,501

  • General weldingIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Welding Technician

    Clark College, Vancouver

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Clark College, Vancouver · General welding · In person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$34,800
    Price if you pay yourself$7,432
    Program website, Welding Technician at Clark College
    More details about Welding Technician at Clark College
    Finished
    50%
    Working at 6 months
    67%
    Earned in a quarter
    $8,704
    Length
    55 weeks, 13 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    34
    a year, estimated
    $34,800
    price
    $7,432

  • Welding (associate degree)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Welding Technologies

    Clark College, Vancouver

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Clark College, Vancouver · Welding (associate degree) · In person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$34,800
    Price if you pay yourself$10,572
    Program website, Welding Technologies at Clark College
    More details about Welding Technologies at Clark College
    Finished
    50%
    Working at 6 months
    67%
    Earned in a quarter
    $8,704
    Length
    60 weeks, 17 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    34
    a year, estimated
    $34,800
    price
    $10,572

  • Welding (associate degree)In personNo diploma needed

    Welding Technology

    Clackamas Community College, Oregon City

    No diploma needed

    Clackamas Community College, Oregon City · Welding (associate degree) · In person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimated$37,300
    Price if you pay yourself$16,418
    Program website, Welding Technology at Clackamas Community College
    More details about Welding Technology at Clackamas Community College
    Finished
    21%
    Working at 6 months
    100%
    Earned in a quarter
    $9,324
    Length
    66 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $1,783
    Students counted
    29

    Listed 2 times in the state's file with differing results. Shown: the listing with the most students.

    a year, estimated
    $37,300
    price
    $16,418

  • Welding and fabricationIn personNo diploma needed

    Metal Fabrication Customized

    Portland Community College, Portland

    No diploma needed

    Portland Community College, Portland · Welding and fabrication · In person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,932
    Program website, Metal Fabrication Customized at Portland Community College
    More details about Metal Fabrication Customized at Portland Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    $1,800
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $1,932

  • General weldingIn personEducation and courses

    Integrated Metals: Accelerated Welding Technology VESL

    Mt. Hood Community College, Gresham

    Education and courses

    Mt. Hood Community College, Gresham · General welding · In person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$3,583
    Program website, Integrated Metals: Accelerated Welding Technology VESL at Mt. Hood Community College
    More details about Integrated Metals: Accelerated Welding Technology VESL at Mt. Hood Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    23 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $350
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $3,583

  • General weldingIn personEducation and courses

    Integrated Metals: Welding Technology

    Mt. Hood Community College, Gresham

    Education and courses

    Mt. Hood Community College, Gresham · General welding · In person · Education and courses

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$5,242
    Program website, Integrated Metals: Welding Technology at Mt. Hood Community College
    More details about Integrated Metals: Welding Technology at Mt. Hood Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    34 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $425
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $5,242

How to pay for welding classes in Portland

Workforce funding can pay for welding classes in Portland

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 Portland welding program numbers come from

Which Portland welding programs are on this list?

These are the welding programs with classes in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro 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 Oregon page. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what the area offers.

How Portland 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 Portland

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