Welding is a high demand job in the US.
Read on in order to find the top welding schools in Arkansas along with tips and suggestions.
You will find out how much a welder makes, and where you can get hired as one.
Below, we will provide you all the specific information about welding.
Arkansas Average Salary for a Welder
In Arkansas, a welder usually makes around $37,510 per year ($18,03 per hour).
This salary is somewhat lower than the average country wage, which totals $39,390 per year or $18.94 per hour.
The top 10% welders in Arkansas make around $56,400, while the ones in other US regions have a salary of $62,100 per year.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Certified Welders in Arkansas
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Little Rock | $36,743 |
| Fort Smith | $34,223 |
| North Little Rock | $36,743 |
| Fayetteville | $35,379 |
| Jonesboro | $37,122 |
| Pine Bluff | $35,382 |
| Springdale | $35,379 |
| Conway | $36,387 |
| Rogers | $35,165 |
| Hot Springs | $36,387 |
Regional Salary
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO | 680 | $46,710 | $22.46 | $61,810 | $35,170 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | 490 | $44,840 | $21.56 | $61,420 | $34,500 |
| Hot Springs, AR | 110 | $42,690 | $20.52 | $53,880 | $31,320 |
| Jonesboro, AR | 390 | $46,810 | $22.51 | $56,360 | $36,490 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | 1,190 | $47,030 | $22.61 | $61,720 | $35,360 |
| Pine Bluff, AR | 60 | $45,390 | $21.82 | $63,650 | $32,140 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Job Options for Arkansas’ Welders
Welders in Arkansas are offered promising job opportunities, which serves as motivation to work in the industry.
According to the the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment rate for welders will be 6% higher by 2026.
This translates to 22,500 new jobs by 2026, and new opportunities will still appear.
Career Options for a Welder in Arkansas
Qualified and skilled welders are needed in many different fields.
Here are just some examples:
- Constructions, such as of edifices and bridges
- Making and maintenance of different vehicles
- Manufacturing
- Power plants or refineries for gas or oil
- Building of ships
- Marine technology
- Various applications for aerospace
Other Career Opportunities
Not everyone wants to work as a welder and luckily Arkansas provides plenty of other fields to choose from.
These other occupations are a bit different, but the pay is good and you still get to use our hands.
Here are some examples:
- Making boilers
- Working with metal sheets
- Being a plumber or a pipe fitter
- Soldering or brazing
Getting Your Welder Certification in Arkansas
The American Welding Society (AWS) certification is mandatory for everyone wanting to work as professional welder.
For this diploma you’ll have to enroll in a training school for welders and complete the education.
The training period includes both theoretical education and skill development.
At the end of the training period you’re expected to pass an examination.
In most cases the exam takes place at the training school and rarely elsewhere.
Proving proficient welding skills is how you pass the test.
The website of the American Welding Society has more information regarding the standards for the diploma.
For How Long Does the Training Last?
It’s normal to want to know how much time you’ll spend in training, however there are certain factors influencing the duration.
The most important of them is that each school has a different program, and as such the duration is different too.
What is certain though, is that it takes less than 2 years to become a welder.
What Is the Official Welder Certification?
The official welder certification is a document attesting you’re proficient in welding.
The American Welding Society (AWS) designs a series of tests that you must pass in order to obtain it.
The goal of the AWS is to advance “science, technology, and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes worldwide.”
You cannot get this document without proper training.
There are 11 welding certifications given by AWS:
- Certified welder
- Welding inspector
- Associate welding inspector
- Senior certified welding inspector
- Welding educator
- Radio-graphic interpreter
- Welding supervisor
- Robotic arc welding
- Welding sales representative
- A reciprocity program
- Welding engineer
Top 17 Welding Schools in Arkansas
Here are some facts about the training programs of the best welding schools in Arkansas:
- The American Welding Society’s SENSE Accreditation Program approved each school in the list.
- The programs include classes on popular welding methods like TIG ( Gas Tungsten Arc Welding), STICK (Shielded Metal Arc Welding) or MIG ( Gas Metal Arc Welding).
- To enroll, a high school diploma or GED is mandatory, though a few programs accept high-school juniors too.
17 Welding Schools in Arkansas
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Area Career And Tech Center | 2201 S Knoxville Russellville, AR 72811 United States |
| Arkansas Career Training Institute | 105 Reserve St. Hot Springs, AR 71902 United States |
| Arkansas State University Mountain Home | 1600 S College St. Mountain Home, AR 72653 United States |
| Arkansas Valley Technical University | 1700 Helberg Lane Ozark, AR 72949 United States |
| Arkansas Welding Academy | 1920 North Redmond Road Jacksonville, AR 72076 United States |
| Asu Mid-South | 2000 West Broadway West Memphis, AR 72301 United States |
| Cass Job Corp Center | 21424 N HWY 23 Ozark, AR 72949 United States |
| Hot Springs Rehab Center | 105 Reserve Ave Hot Springs, AR 71901 United States |
| Ouachita Job Corp Center | 507 Job Corp R Royal, AR 71968 United States |
| Pulaski Technical College | 3000 W Scenic Road North Little Rock, AR 72118 United States |
| Rich Mountain Community College | 1100 College Drive Mena, AR 71953 United States |
| South Arkansas Community College | PO Box 7010 El Dorado, AR 71730 United States |
| Systems Contracting | 214 N Washington El Dorado, AR 71730 United States |
| Texarkana Area Vocational | 1200 Jefferson Texarkana, AR 71854United States |
| Uam College Of Technology | 1609 East Ash Mcgehee, AR 71654 United States |
| University Of Arkansas Community College-Batesville | 2005 White Drive, Batesville, AR 72503 United States |
| Westark Comm College | 5210 Grand Ave Fort Smith, AR 72913 United States |
Conclusion
We hope you found all the information you were searching for in this article.
Welding is a good career in which you can enter fast.
Take the plunge and enroll in a class!
Good luck!
Welding Schools by City
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