Please check your email for your login details.How to Become a Welder in Michigan and Detroit
Welding is one of the fastest ways into the skilled trades. You can earn a first certificate in a semester, pass a weld test and start working, then keep adding skills and pay.
- Median pay $24.91 an hour in Metro Detroit
- First certificate in one semester
- Weld tests and AWS certifications
Protected by reCAPTCHA. Google Privacy Policy and Terms apply.
Welder in Detroit at a glance
Pay figures cover welders, cutters, solderers and brazers in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metro area, from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025.
| Topic | What to know |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $24.91 |
| Median yearly wage | $51,810 |
| Pay range (10th to 90th percentile) | $18.75 to $36.42 an hour |
| Welders working in the metro area | About 4,580 |
| Typical training path | A community college welding certificate, then on the job training. Some learn inside a pipefitting or other trade apprenticeship. |
| Certification | Employers usually give a weld test. Certifications such as the American Welding Society Certified Welder program show you can weld to a code. |
| Michigan license | Welding is not one of the trades licensed by Michigan's Bureau of Construction Codes, which covers boiler, electrical, elevator, mechanical, plumbing and residential builder work. |
| Union route | Pipefitting Industry Training Center, Local 636, certifies its apprentices in welding |
What welders do in Metro Detroit
Welders join and cut metal with heat. You read blueprints and weld symbols, prep and fit parts, set up your machine and lay beads that pass inspection. Common processes include MIG (GMAW), TIG (GTAW), stick (SMAW) and flux core, plus torch and plasma cutting.
Where welders work around Detroit:
- Manufacturing and auto suppliers. Production welding, robotic weld cells and repair of tooling and fixtures.
- Fabrication shops. Metal fabrication, railings and custom metal work.
- Construction. Structural steel on buildings and bridges, and pipe welding on mechanical and process systems.
- Field repair. Mobile welding on equipment, trailers and gates.
The work is hot, loud and physical. You wear protective gear, work around fumes and sparks, and may weld overhead or in tight spaces. Steady hands, good eyesight and attention to detail matter.
Production vs construction welding
Production welders usually work one shift in the same plant, repeating welds on similar parts and sometimes running robotic cells. Construction and pipe welders move from site to site, weld in every position and must pass code tests for the job. Many welders start in production, build skills and certifications, then move toward fabrication, pipe or structural work.
Is welding right for you?
- You want to start working fast. A first certificate can take one semester, compared with years for some licensed trades.
- You like precise, hands-on work. Good welds depend on angle, speed and heat control.
- You can read drawings. Weld symbols and measurements tell you exactly what to build.
- You want room to grow. Pipe welding, inspection and fabrication can lead to higher pay.
How to become a welder in Michigan
- 1
Start with the basics
A high school diploma or GED helps with school admission and most employers. High school shop classes or a free Detroit training program can give you a head start.
- 2
Take a welding certificate
Community colleges near Detroit teach MIG, TIG, stick and cutting. At Oakland Community College, the Level I welding certificate is 14 credits and full-time students can finish it in one fall semester.
- 3
Practice for the weld test
Most employers test you on their own joints and positions before hiring. Put in extra booth time on the positions you will be tested on.
- 4
Earn a certification
Certifications such as the American Welding Society Certified Welder program document that you can weld to a code. Your school or employer can tell you which ones local jobs ask for.
- 5
Get hired and keep learning
Start in production or fabrication, then add skills like TIG, pipe or structural welding. Some welders join a union apprenticeship in pipefitting or another trade that includes welding.
- 6
Move up
Experienced welders can become lead hands, fabricators, pipe welders or welding inspectors. The American Welding Society also offers the Certified Welding Inspector credential.
Welding schools near Detroit
Programs come from each school's own website. Check start dates, costs and admissions with the school.
| Program | Area | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Oakland Community College Welding and Fabrication Technology | Oakland County | Level I Fundamentals certificate (14 credits) and Level II Intermediate certificate (35 to 36 credits). |
| Wayne County Community College District | Detroit | Welding technology associate degree and an artistic welding certificate. |
| Schoolcraft College | Livonia | Welding technology at the Manufacturing and Engineering Center. |
| Pipefitting Industry Training Center, Local 636 | Union apprenticeship | Five year pipefitting apprenticeship with welding certification included. |
Welder salary in Detroit
The median welder, cutter, solderer or brazer in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metro area earned $24.91 an hour, or $51,810 a year, in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest paid 10 percent earned under $18.75 an hour and the top 10 percent earned more than $36.42.
Where you land in that range depends on the processes you know, the codes you can pass, overtime and shift work, and whether you move into pipe or structural work. Welders who join a pipefitting apprenticeship work toward that trade's pay scale. Compare trades on the Detroit trade jobs page.
What welding school costs, and how to pay less
Welding certificates are among the shortest trade programs, which keeps costs down. Tuition, lab fees and gear such as a helmet, gloves and jacket are the main costs. Michigan Reconnect can make in-district community college tuition free for eligible adults 21 and older, and Detroit Promise helps Detroit high school graduates. See every option on our trade school funding guide.
Where a welding career can go
Production welder
Repeat welds on parts in a plant or shop.
Fabricator
Build parts and structures from drawings.
Pipe or structural welder
Code welding on construction and mechanical jobs.
Pipefitter guide →Inspector
Check welds and parts for quality and code.
Quality inspector guide →Companies hiring welders in Metro Detroit
Employers shown here pay to appear and are labelled. Rebuild Detroit does not rank or endorse employers. Browse more on the companies hiring in Detroit page.
Get welding training and job alerts
Join free and tell us your skills, from no experience to certified pipe welder. We will share welding training, apprenticeships and jobs in Metro Detroit that fit.
Becoming a welder in Michigan FAQ
Start your welding career in Detroit
Join the Talent Network to hear about welding training and jobs in Metro Detroit.
Join the Talent NetworkSources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: OEWS May 2025 data, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI (occupation 51-4121)
- Michigan LARA: Bureau of Construction Codes Licensing Section
- American Welding Society: Professional Certification
- Michigan Reconnect: About
Updated September 2026. Rules and procedures change; confirm with the responsible office before a decision.