Looking for a career-ready degree? You’ve found it with the Advanced Welding Technologies program at Kirkwood.
Join passionate, certified instructors at one of the top weld testing and instructional facilities in the state and learn on top-of-the-line technology, including virtual reality welding.
Kirkwood offers more than $3 million in scholarships for students each year.
Students in this program may be eligible to have half their tuition paid for by the Kibbie Grant.
When you graduate, you'll be able to:
Completion of a program conference is required to be admitted to the program. You’ll learn more about the program as well as specific admissions requirements.
School Year: 2025–26
Program Entry Semester: Fall
| Fall | Spring | Summer | Fall | Spring | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Credit Hours per Semester | 19 | 15 | 6 | 18 | 18 | 76 |
| In-State Tuition | $4,199 | $3,315 | $1,326 | $3,978 | $3,978 | $16,796 |
| Technology Fee per Semester | $50 | $50 | $50 | $50 | $50 | $250 |
| Clinical Expenses (mileage, lodging, screenings, etc.) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Conferences/Seminars | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Course Resources (textbooks, software, etc.) | $227.25 | $588.50 | $0 | $120.50 | $133.25 | $1,069.50 |
| Course/Section Fees | $250 | $300 | $50 | $270 | $220 | $1,090 |
| Laptop (required devices) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Testing Fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Third Party Credentials | $509 | $225 | $0 | $0 | $250 | $984 |
| Tool Sets | $1000 | $0 | $0 | $300 | $0 | $1,000 |
| Uniforms | $850 | $0 | $0 | $300 | $0 | $1,150 |
| Other | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total Estimated Cost | $7,085.25 | $4,478.50 | $1,426 | $4,718.50 | $4,631.25 | $22,339.50 |
Costs provided are estimated and based on the following current tuition rates: $221 (In-State), $296 (Out-of-State), $400 (International).
Fees and costs are subject to change.
To view all costs associated with attending college visit our Tuition and Costs page.
To get into the Advanced Welding Technologies program, you must complete the following, in addition to Kirkwood’s steps to become a student:
What career could this lead to?
Kirkwood's welding program requires you to study:
You can earn certifications to American Welding Society codes in several welding processes, including shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding and, gas tungsten arc welding.
The specialized skill sets you’ll learn will prepare you to earn SENSE 1 and SENSE 2 level credentials from the American Welding Society after just two years.
Students in Kirkwood's Advanced Welding Technologies program, as well as those pursuing the Entry-Level Welder Diploma, are encouraged to join the Kirkwood chapter of SkillsUSA, a workforce development organization for students with nearly 400,000 members nationally.
SkillsUSA is one of eight recognized members of the National Coordinating Council for Career and Technical Student Organizations (NCC-CTSO). CTSOs are co-curricular groups that help students in career and technical education programs further their knowledge and skills by participating in activities, events, and competitions.
Several of our programs are specifically set up to meet core requirements and smoothly transfer to a four-year school. That means you can start at Kirkwood and earn a bachelor’s degree in your field. Our transfer-level programs are:
Provides specialized skill sets and training that aligns with industry regulated practices in the field of welding. Our curriculum aligns with the AWS (American Welding Society) SENSE level accreditation. We offer third party AWS (American Welding Society) certifications allowing our students to be more prepared and employable for industry.