If you plan on becoming a welder in South Carolina, read on for tips and info.
You will also get important suggestions regarding training schools and salaries for a welder.
Introduction to Welding
In this article, we have brought you the essential facts about welding so you can make an informed choice.
Needed Skills
Just like any other job, welding requires some specific skills.
Some of these are:
- Meticulous
- Technical skills
- Physical strength
- Physical endurance
- Adroitness in using the hands
- Positional awareness skills
Not everyone has the skills right from the start, but you can improve to get your dream job.
Differences Between Welding, Soldering, and Brazing
A welder merges metals together by melting them and with the help of various instruments.
While soldering and brazing are similar, they use fillers at a temperature of 850 degrees Fahrenheit to fuse the metals.
This temperature is lower than the one used in welding, and brazing builds sturdier structures than soldering.
Welders do not use any fillers in their work.
Popular Welding Methods
Some of these include:
- Shielded Metal Arc Welding (Stick)
- Plasma Arc Welding
- Flux-Cored Welding
- Gas Metal Arc Welding (MIG)
- Tungsten Inert Gas Welding (TIG)
- Gas or Oxy-Acetylene Welding
Out of these, the most encountered are Stick, MIG, and TIG.
Keep in mind there are over 100 existing welding techniques in total.
Finding Work in South Carolina
You can work in various spheres such as:
- Boat-building
- Creating structures
- Manufacturing
- Aerospace applications
- Gas & oil field power plants and refineries
- Car & motorcycle fabrication and maintenance
Median Wage for a Welder
A welder in South Carolina usually earns $42,060 a year, compared to $39,390 annually in the rest of US.
Welding is also a promising industry, with jobs increasing by 6% in the next 6 years, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics claims.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Certified Welders in South Carolina
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Columbia | $37,130 |
| Charleston | $37,313 |
| North Charleston | $37,313 |
| Greenville | $38,268 |
| Rock Hill | $38,913 |
| Mount Pleasant | $37,313 |
| Spartanburg | $36,671 |
| Sumter | $35,351 |
| Hilton Head Island | $36,715 |
| Florence | $35,430 |
Regional Salary
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 1,100 | $46,930 | $22.56 | $59,690 | $33,650 |
| Columbia, SC | 1,050 | $44,870 | $21.57 | $61,160 | $33,220 |
| Florence, SC | 580 | $43,760 | $21.04 | $56,240 | $34,250 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC | 1,610 | $45,530 | $21.89 | $59,040 | $32,440 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC | 60 | $44,530 | $21.41 | $60,450 | $31,120 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC | 250 | $48,740 | $23.43 | $68,520 | $28,790 |
| Spartanburg, SC | 930 | $48,230 | $23.19 | $62,710 | $31,630 |
| Sumter, SC | 160 | $40,130 | $19.29 | $50,710 | $30,330 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Getting Your Certification
After completing your training, you will need to pass a welding certification test.
These tests are created by the American Welding Society (AWS).
AWS created 11 types of certifications as follows:
- Certified Welder
- Senior Certified Welding Inspector
- Welding Inspector
- Welding Engineer
- Associate Welding Inspector
- Welding Supervisor
- Welding Educator
- Welding Sales Representative
- Radiographic Interpreter
- Robotic Arc Welding
- Reciprocity Program
Best Schools in South Carolina
The American Welding Society’s SENSE Accreditation Program accepted 22 schools in the state.
All of them offer classes like Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (TIG), Shielded Metal Arc Welding (stick), and Gas Metal Arc Welding (MIG).
To get enrolled, a GED or high-school diploma is required although some schools accept 10th graders.
22 Welding Schools in South Carolina
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Aiken County Career Tech Center | 2455 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Warrenville, SC 29851 United States |
| Aiken Tech College | P.O. Drawer 696, Aiken, SC 29802 United States |
| Applied Technology Education Campus (ATEC) | 874 Vocational Lane, Camden, SC 29020 United States |
| Bamberg Job Corp Center | 200 S Carlisle St, P.O. Box 967, Bamberg, SC 29003 United States |
| Beauford-Jasper Career Education Center | 80 Lowcountry Drive, Ridgeland, SC 29936 United States |
| Brookland- Cayce High School | 1300 State Street, Cayce, SC 29033 United States |
| Central Carolina Tech College | 506 N. Guignard Dr., Sumter, SC 29150 United States |
| Chester County Career Center | 1324 JA Cochran By-Pass Chester, SC 29706 United States |
| Cope Area Career Center | 6052 Slah Landing Road, Cope, SC 29038 United States |
| Florence Career Center | 126 E. Howe Springs Rd. Florence, SC 29505 United States |
| Heyward Career and Tech Center | 3560 Lynhaven Dr, Columbia, SC 29204 United States |
| Horry-Georgetown Technical College | 2050 Highway 501 East Conway, SC 29526 United States |
| Lexington Technology Center | 2421 Augusta Highway, Lexington, SC 29072 United States |
| Lower Richland High School | 2615 Lower Richland Blvd, Hopkins, SC 29061 United States |
| Midlands Tech College-Airport | 1260 Lexington Drive, West Columbia, SC 29170 United States |
| Newberry County Career Center | 3413 Main St, Newberry, SC 29108 United States |
| Palmetto Training Inc. | 1085 Thunderbolt Drive Walterboro, SC 29488 United States |
| South Aiken High School | 232 East Pine Log Rd, Aiken, SC 29803 United States |
| Swansea High Welding Department | 500 East First Street Swansea, SC 29160 United States |
| Trident Technical College | P.O. Box 118067, Charleston, SC 29423 United States |
| Wagener-Salley High School | 272 Main Street South Wagener, SC 29164 United States |
| York Technical College | 452 South Anderson Road, Rock Hill, SC 29730 United States |
The table info is subject to change, so make sure to double-check it.
Underwater Welding Training Schools
There are only 9 schools of this type in the country, and one is situated in South Carolina.
Other Career Options in South Carolina
The schools in our list do not only offer welding training but other technical jobs as well.
Some of these include:
- Electrical lineworker
- Making boilers
- Sheet metal workers
- Mechanical maintenance technology
- Soldering and brazing
Safety tips for welders
As welding is a high-risk job, there are some precautions you need to take:
- Make sure you understand the guidelines
- The equipment manuals include essential warnings that will keep you safe in order to avoid accidents.
- Purchase high-quality equipment.
- You will need an auto-darkening welding helmet, but also shoes, gloves, glasses, and jacket.
- Ensure your skin is kept safe away from the heat.
- The work area should be clean, well maintained and allow enough air in.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this article taught you the basics of welding and its meaning.
Have a look at the list of schools to discover which one you like best and start your training.
Welding Schools by City
This page is also available in Spanish.
