Best Welding Schools in New York (2026): Top 5 Programs
By Bikash Roy · Founder & Lead Researcher
Published October 26, 2026
The best welding schools in New York range from two-year SUNY degrees upstate to a seven-month trade school program in Queens and paid Ironworkers apprenticeships that charge no tuition. Which one fits you depends on where you live, how fast you need to start earning, and whether you plan to weld structural steel in New York City, where the rules are stricter than anywhere else in the state.
New York pays welders well. The state's median wage for welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers was $59,140 in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 10% above the national median of $53,750. New York State doesn't license welders. New York City does: structural welders there need a Department of Buildings (DOB) Welder License, which requires AWS or NYSDOT certification in the 3G and 4G positions. Many New York programs are built around getting you those certifications.
We reviewed eight welding training options across New York State: SUNY degree programs in Wellsville, Buffalo, Delhi, and Troy; a NYSED-licensed, ACCSC-accredited trade school in New York City; Ironworkers apprenticeships in New York City, Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse; and adult and workforce programs at Monroe Community College and Nassau BOCES. We checked each one against its own website, and the apprenticeships against New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) recruitment notices, for length, current cost, accreditation, and how to get in. These are the five we recommend.
New York fast facts:
- Median salary in New York: $59,140/year
- Job growth (10yr): −3% in New York (2024–2034, Projections Central), with about 1,290 openings a year
- License required: No state license; NYC requires a DOB Welder License for structural welding
- Programs reviewed: 8
Top Welding Schools in New York
Alfred State College: Welding Technology (AOS)
Best Overall in New YorkWellsville, NY (also at Northland Workforce Training Center, Buffalo)
Program
2 years (AOS degree)
Tuition
$8,892/year tuition and mandatory fees (NY resident, 2026–27); tools and supplies extra
Accred.
MSCHE (SUNY College of Technology)
Alfred State's two-year Welding Technology AOS is the most complete welding program in New York. Students earn AWS Level I and Level II certifications and move on to high-pressure vessel and pipe welding. The curriculum covers oxyfuel, plasma, and arc processes, fillet and groove welds on plate and pipe, heat effects on metals, fabrication, and inspection. Classes are held at the Wellsville campus, and adult learners in the Buffalo area can take the same degree at the Northland Workforce Training Center, with day and evening labs taught by Alfred State instructors. The college reports a 99% placement rate for the program. For 2026–27, New York residents pay $7,070 in tuition plus $1,822 in mandatory fees. Required tools, supplies, and a laptop cost extra.
SUNY Delhi: Welding Technology (AOS, AAS, and AOS Pipefitting)
Best for Pipe WeldingDelhi, NY (Catskills region, Delaware County)
Program
2 years (certificate available after year one)
Tuition
$9,122/year tuition and fees (NY resident, 2026–27); materials included in program fees
Accred.
MSCHE (SUNY College of Technology)
SUNY Delhi gives you three ways to earn a welding degree: a workforce-focused AOS, an AAS that can lead into a bachelor's degree, and an AOS with a pipefitting concentration that adds pipe laying, threading, and piping systems. Students train in SMAW, MIG, and TIG on steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and pipe. The shop has updated ventilation, a CNC plasma table, and inverter equipment. What stands out is certification: the campus hosts a NYS Department of Transportation welder testing facility, so students can test for the state and New York City contractor certifications employers look for. You can also earn a welding certificate after the first year. SUNY Delhi says more than 90% of its graduates find jobs. New York residents pay $7,070 in tuition plus $2,052 in fees for 2026–27.
Hudson Valley Community College: Welding and Fabrication (AOS) and Welding Certificate
Best Value in New YorkTroy, NY (Capital Region)
Program
1 year (34-credit certificate) or 2 years (AOS degree); evening option
Tuition
$5,309/year tuition (NY resident, 2026–27) + fees
Accred.
MSCHE (SUNY community college)
Hudson Valley Community College has the lowest tuition of any degree program on our list. Full-time New York residents pay $2,654.50 per semester in 2026–27. HVCC offers a one-year, 34-credit Welding Certificate that you can finish in the evening, and every credit carries into the two-year Welding and Fabrication AOS. Both go beyond basic welding with coursework in CAD, metrology, and metallurgy, which prepares you for fabrication shop work where reading drawings and holding tolerances matter as much as the weld. The certificate launched in fall 2024 and filled to capacity its first semester, so apply early. HVCC lists the AOS as SUNY Reconnect eligible, which can make tuition, fees, and books free if you're 25 to 55 and don't have a college degree.
Ironworkers Apprenticeships (Locals 40 & 361 NYC; Local 6 Buffalo; Local 33 Rochester; Local 60 Syracuse)
Best Paid ApprenticeshipNew York City, Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse
Program
3 years (NYC Locals 40 & 361); earn wages while you train
Tuition
$0 tuition (NYC: $25 testing fee; Local 33: $100 initiation fee + $33/month dues)
Accred.
NYSDOL Registered Apprenticeship (Joint Apprenticeship Committees)
If you want to weld structural steel and get paid while you learn, apply to an Ironworkers apprenticeship. In New York City, the Locals 40 & 361 program runs three years with more than 600 classroom hours and more than 4,000 hours of paid job-site training. Its 12,000-square-foot shop has 36 welding stations, and the school offers courses that lead to certifications required by NYC DOB and New York State. Training is free. NYC recruitment is closed, and the next round opens in March 2027. Upstate locals are recruiting now, according to NYSDOL notices. Local 6 in Buffalo is taking 20 apprentices through July 31, 2027. Local 33 in Rochester is taking 10 through February 28, 2027. Local 60 in Syracuse is taking 20 through April 18, 2027.
Apex Technical School: Combination Welding Technology
Fastest Path in NYCNew York, NY (Long Island City, Queens main campus; Midtown Manhattan branch)
Program
900 clock hours (as little as 7 months; day or evening)
Tuition
$19,527 total (latest published statement of charges; confirm current rate)
Accred.
ACCSC; licensed by NYSED
Apex is the fastest structured route into welding in New York City, and it's a good option if you can't wait for a union recruitment. The 900-hour program covers blueprint reading and trade math, oxyacetylene welding, cutting, and brazing, SMAW (basic and advanced), GMAW, FCAW, GTAW, and plasma arc cutting. Classes are capped at 20 students, new sessions start every few weeks, and you can study during the day or in the evening. According to Apex's October 2025 ACCSC disclosure, the day program had an 82% graduation rate and a 71% in-field employment rate for the June 2023–May 2024 cohort. Apex's latest statement of charges lists $19,013 in tuition, or $19,527 including the application fee, insurance, books, and tools.
License Requirements in New York
New York State doesn't issue a welding license. Most employers upstate and on Long Island hire based on your skills and certifications, usually AWS Certified Welder tests to AWS D1.1 (structural steel) or employer-administered procedure tests. New York City is the big exception, and state transportation work has its own rules too.
New York City DOB Welder License: The NYC Department of Buildings requires a Welder License to perform structural welding in the city. To apply, you must be at least 18, be able to read and write English, and hold AWS or NYSDOT certification for groove and fillet welds in the flat, horizontal, vertical, and overhead positions, including 3G and 4G, on A36 steel in unlimited thickness. You also pass a physical exam and a visual acuity test and go through a background investigation that costs $330. Applications are filed through DOB NOW: Licensing. The license is valid for 3 years, and renewal costs $45. Keep in mind that AWS certifications must be maintained every six months, and NYSDOT certifications require recertification every three years.
FDNY Certificates of Fitness: If you cut or heat metal with oxygen and a flammable gas in New York City, the Fire Department requires a G-60 Certificate of Fitness for Torch Use of Flammable Gases. You pass a written exam in person at FDNY headquarters, 9 MetroTech Center in Brooklyn, and get your certificate the same day. The fee is $25, and renewal costs $15 every three years. On construction sites, a separate F-60 certificate holder must also serve as fire guard during hot work.
Other requirements: All welders on NYSDOT projects must be certified by NYSDOT for the procedure and position the job requires. In New York City, workers on sites that must have a Construction Superintendent, Site Safety Coordinator, or Site Safety Manager also need a 40-hour Site Safety Training (SST) card under Local Law 196 of 2017. The card is valid for 5 years, and the city's Department of Small Business Services offers free SST training. For the full path from trainee to certified welder, see our guide on how to become a welder.
Welding Salary in New York
New York welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers earned a median annual wage of $59,140 ($28.43 per hour) in May 2025, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (BLS OEWS May 2025). That's $5,390 more than the national median of $53,750, so a typical New York welder earns about 10% more than a typical welder nationally.
Pay rises with experience and certifications. Statewide, the bottom 10% of welders earned $43,840 or less, and the top 10% earned $87,110 or more (BLS, May 2025). Median pay was highest in the New York–Newark–Jersey City metro area at $61,680, followed by Albany–Schenectady–Troy at $59,390, Rochester at $57,130, Syracuse at $55,660, and Buffalo–Cheektowaga at $55,420. In the New York City metro, the top 10% earned $95,920 or more, the highest of any area in the state.
Job growth is flat. Projections Central's 2024–2034 long-term projections show New York welding employment slipping 3%, from 13,980 to 13,560 jobs. Even so, the state expects about 1,290 openings a year as welders retire or change careers. Nationally, BLS projects 2% growth over the same period, with about 45,600 openings a year. In a flat market, your certifications matter most: welders with NYC DOB, NYSDOT, or pipe qualifications compete for the better-paying jobs.
Top-paying cities in New York:
| Metro area | Median Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| New York–Newark–Jersey City | $61,680 |
| Albany–Schenectady–Troy | $59,390 |
| Rochester | $57,130 |
| Syracuse | $55,660 |
| Buffalo–Cheektowaga | $55,420 |
See the full Welding salary breakdown by state →
How to Become a Welder in New York
Step 1: Get training. You can enroll in a SUNY program such as Alfred State, SUNY Delhi, or Hudson Valley, which take one to two years. You can take a 900-hour trade school program like Apex in New York City, which takes about seven months. Or you can apply to an Ironworkers apprenticeship and get paid while you learn. Shorter adult-education options also exist, such as Nassau BOCES's welding fundamentals and AWS test prep courses on Long Island and Monroe Community College's nine-month evening and weekend certificate at the Arc + Flame Center in Rochester.
Step 2: Earn certifications employers recognize. Most New York employers want AWS Certified Welder results on plate or pipe. If you plan to work in New York City or on state bridges, aim for 3G and 4G groove welds in unlimited thickness. That's the qualification the NYC DOB Welder License requires, and you can test for it through AWS or NYSDOT.
Step 3: Get your local credentials. If you'll be welding structural steel in the five boroughs, apply for the DOB Welder License. If you'll be using an oxy-fuel torch there, get your FDNY G-60 Certificate of Fitness. For most NYC construction sites, you'll also need a 40-hour SST card. Upstate, your AWS certifications and shop experience are usually enough to get hired. Our full guide on how to become a welder covers certifications, specialties, and career paths in more detail.
Welding Apprenticeships Recruiting in New York (2026–27)
Registered apprenticeships in New York have to publish their recruitment windows through NYSDOL, so you can see exactly when each one is accepting applications. As of fall 2026, three upstate Ironworkers locals are recruiting. Local 6 is taking in-person applications at 196 Orchard Park Road in Buffalo, weekdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., through July 31, 2027. You must be 18, have a high school diploma or equivalent and a valid New York driver's license, and live within the local's jurisdiction. Local 33 accepts applications online, through its mobile app, or in person at 650 Trabold Road in Rochester through February 28, 2027. Local 60 takes applications at 500 West Genesee Street in Syracuse or through its website through April 18, 2027. Local 60 applicants must pass a math and detail-accuracy test and an agility test and include two letters of recommendation from previous employers.
New York City's Ironworkers Locals 40 & 361 program is closed until its next recruitment in March 2027. Applicants must be at least 17 to test (18 to work), have at least a GED, and pay a $25 testing fee. Candidates are ranked on an aptitude exam covering reading comprehension and math. The top scorers then take a physical test, and those who pass are conditionally accepted and drug-screened. Depending on their rank and how much work is available, they start 3 to 15 months later. Classes run Tuesday and Wednesday evenings in years one and two.
Pipe-trade unions also train welders. Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 7 in the Albany area ran an NYSDOL-registered recruitment for Welder (Industrial) apprentices through September 30, 2026. If you want to weld pipe instead of structural steel, watch NYSDOL's apprenticeship announcements for the next round.
Financial Aid for Welding Schools in New York
New York Tuition Assistance Program (TAP): TAP gives eligible New York residents up to $5,665 a year toward tuition at approved New York colleges. The income limit for dependent students is $125,000 in NYS net taxable income. Alfred State, SUNY Delhi, and Hudson Valley are all SUNY campuses, so their welding degrees qualify. Apply for TAP when you file the FAFSA.
SUNY Reconnect and Excelsior: SUNY Reconnect covers tuition, fees, books, and supplies for New Yorkers aged 25 to 55 who don't have a college degree and enroll in an eligible high-demand associate program. It covers what's left after other aid such as TAP. Hudson Valley lists its Welding and Fabrication AOS as SUNY Reconnect eligible. Excelsior covers SUNY and CUNY tuition for families earning $125,000 or less, but you have to stay on track to graduate on time and then live and work in New York for as many years as you received the award.
Federal aid and workforce programs: File the FAFSA to be considered for a Federal Pell Grant, which pays up to $7,395 for 2026–27, plus federal loans at SUNY colleges and Title IV–eligible trade schools. Apex says it has a contract with New York State to offer reduced tuition and other help to qualifying ACCES-VR (vocational rehabilitation) participants. Your local NYSDOL Career Center can tell you whether you qualify for WIOA-funded training. Ironworkers apprenticeships charge no tuition, which makes them the cheapest route of all. For full price ranges by program type, see our welding school cost guide.
Other States
Browse Welding schools in other states:
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