Looking for opportunities to become a certified welder in Alaska?
We offer you a list of the best schools that provide welding certification programs.
Also, in this article, you can find a bunch of additional information that can be useful for future professional welders.
Article Table of Contents
Average Salary of Welder in Alaska
A median salary of a welder in Alaska is about $70 940 per year.
It means that a professional welder earns about $34,11 per hour.
In fact, it’s much higher than the average median salary that is $39 390 per year ($18,94 per hour).
You should know that the top 10% of welders can earn more than $62 100 annually.
At the same time, the top 10% of welders in Alaska earn $99 420 per year.
Welding Job Offers with Highest Salary in Alaska
Being a certified welder, you can perform a number of various jobs.
There are some of them that provide the highest salary rate:
- Construction of buildings and bridges;
- Manufacturing;
- Gas & oil field power plants and refineries;
- Aerospace applications;
- Shipbuilding;
- Auto & motorcycle fabrication and repair.
Best Welding Certification Schools in Alaska
There is plenty of schools that provide welding training in Alaska.
Before providing you with the list of the best welding schools, we offer you to learn some information that is actual for all the schools:
- Each school, presented in the list, is approved by the American Welding Society’s SENSE Accreditation Program;
- Each welding program includes such topics as Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (TIG), Shielded Metal Arc Welding (stick), or Gas Metal Arc Welding (MIG);
- In common, a high-school diploma or GED is enough to participate in a welding training but sometimes you need to meet some other requirements.
TOP 12 Welding Schools in Alaska
School | Location | Contact Information | Phone Number |
---|---|---|---|
Alaska Gateway School Dist | Box 226 13135 Alaska HWY Tok, AK 99780 United States | James W. Elliot | (907) 883-5151 |
Alaska SouthCentral | 237 N Orca St. Anchorage, AK 99501 United States | John Matthews | (907) 277-5367 |
Alaska Vocational Technical Center | PO Box 889 Seward, AK 99664 United States | Darrell Duter | (907) 224-288- |
Hoonah City Schools | 366 Garteeni HWY Hoona, AK 99829 United States | Keenan Haug | (907) 945-3611 |
Ilisagvik College | PO Box 749 Barrow, AK 99723 United States | Jerry Train | (907) 852-3333 |
Kenai Pennisula College | 156 College Rd Soldotna, AK 99669 United States | Fritz Miller | (907) 262-0356 |
Ketchikan High School | 2610-4th Ave Ketchikan, AK 99901 United States | Todd Henke | (907)-225-9815 |
Mat-Su School District Welding Technology | 501 North Gulkana Street, Palmer, AK 99645 United States | Daniel Trotter | (907) 746-9238 |
North Pole High School | 601 NPHS BLVD North Pole, AK 99705 United States | Michael Nelson | (907) 488-3761 |
Tuluksak School | PO Box 115 Tuluksak, AB 99679 United States | Lance Jackson | (907) 695-5626 |
University of Alaska Anchorage | 3211 Providence Drive Anchorage, AK 99508 United States | Gerald H Park | (907) 786-1480 |
University of Alaska Southeast - Ketchikan Campus | 2600-7th Ave Ketchikan, AK 99901 United States | Steven Brandow | (907) 225-6177 |
Requirements for Welding Training Participants
As it was mentioned before, all welding training participants should have a high-school diploma or GED.
Nevertheless, there are some schools that ask for 10-grade education.
It means that you can start your welding training in the 11th grade.
Duration for Welding Certification Training
Of course, it’s important to understand clearly how much time you need to complete your training.
The truth is that you cannot get a certain answer to the question.
The reason is that each school offers its specific program which has its specified duration but it’s no longer than 2 years.
Popular Degree Programs
Jobs Similar to Welder in Alaska
In fact, there are some jobs that have a lot in common with welding.
It’s such careers as:
- Boilermakers;
- Sheet Metal Workers;
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters.
Conclusion
You’ve already learned the list of the best welding schools in Alaska so you just need to take your time and make your choice.
Contact each school to get more information on the offered programs to make it easier.
And you should know that the decision of becoming a welder can be one of your best decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest metal to weld?
The easiest metal to weld is steel, which is why it is one of the most popular types of metal for welding.
Carbon steel is the least expensive metal on the market, making it a favorite among metals.
Steel can be welded in many different ways, including MIG, TIG, and stick welding.
Is it hard to become a welder?
It depends on the person.
If you have an affinity for welding tools and hands-on activities and experiences, you might find welding easy to pick up.
If you are more interested in the theory behind the use of tools, you might struggle with learning the tricks of the trade and might be better suited for another career path.
Can welding be self taught?
You can certainly learn the basics of welding on your own.
However, you are not very likely to reach an expert level without a significant amount of instruction or apprenticeship under the guidance of an experienced welding instructor.
This is particularly true for MIG, TIG, and other specialty welding types.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Certified Welder