45 schools · Illinois
Welding schools in Illinois
45 schools in Illinois offer welding programs (40 of them public), with 45 certificate and 19 associate programs between them. Graduates of the typical certificate program here earned $40,917 a year after finishing, compared with $42,730 nationally.
All welding programs in Illinois
Sorted by earnings one year after graduation. Click a heading to sort; tuition is the school's yearly tuition and fees (2025-26), in-state for public schools.
| School | Type | Credential | Graduates (2023-24) | Earnings 1 yr after | Earnings 4 yrs after | Median debt | School tuition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois Central CollegeEast Peoria, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 135 | $45,352 | n/a | n/a | $4,800 |
| Lincoln College of Technology-Melrose ParkMelrose Park, IL | For-profit trade school | Certificate | 45 | $45,316 | $52,364 | $9,500 | $34,195 |
| Universal Technical Institute of Illinois IncLisle, IL | For-profit trade school | Certificate | 117 | $45,023 | $52,936 | $6,855 | $44,200 |
| Southwestern Illinois CollegeBelleville, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 216 | $41,254 | $47,871 | $3,500 | $4,590 |
| Midwest Technical Institute-IllinoisSpringfield, IL | For-profit trade school | Certificate | 207 | $40,580 | $47,321 | $9,403 | $16,292 |
| ETI School of Skilled TradesWillowbrook, IL | For-profit trade school | Certificate | 93 | $39,528 | $49,138 | $9,500 | $14,980 |
| Stautzenberger College-Rockford Career CollegeRockford, IL | For-profit trade school | Certificate | 50 | $39,286 | $45,058 | $13,717 | $16,849 |
| Carl Sandburg CollegeGalesburg, IL | Community college | Certificate | 21 | $38,620 | n/a | n/a | $5,500 |
| Southwestern Illinois CollegeBelleville, IL | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 22 | n/a | $62,981 | n/a | $4,590 |
| Lincoln Land Community CollegeSpringfield, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 93 | n/a | $53,017 | n/a | $3,828 |
| Lewis and Clark Community CollegeGodfrey, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 120 | n/a | $44,604 | n/a | $4,536 |
| Black Hawk CollegeMoline, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 58 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5,220 |
| Carl Sandburg CollegeGalesburg, IL | Community college | Associate degree | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5,500 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Kennedy-King CollegeChicago, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 20 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,710 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley CollegeChicago, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 90 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,710 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright CollegeChicago, IL | Community college | Certificate | 58 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,710 |
| College of DuPageGlen Ellyn, IL | Community college | Certificate | 25 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,680 |
| College of DuPageGlen Ellyn, IL | Community college | Associate degree | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,680 |
| College of Lake CountyGrayslake, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 113 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,901 |
| College of Lake CountyGrayslake, IL | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 11 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,901 |
| Danville Area Community CollegeDanville, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 11 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,680 |
| Elgin Community CollegeElgin, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 61 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $3,324 |
| Elgin Community CollegeElgin, IL | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 11 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $3,324 |
| Heartland Community CollegeNormal, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 116 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5,610 |
| Highland Community CollegeFreeport, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 25 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5,176 |
| Illinois Central CollegeEast Peoria, IL | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,800 |
| Illinois Eastern Community CollegesOlney, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 28 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5,260 |
| Illinois Eastern Community CollegesOlney, IL | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 12 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5,260 |
| Illinois Valley Community CollegeOglesby, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 36 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,380 |
| Illinois Valley Community CollegeOglesby, IL | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,380 |
| John A Logan CollegeCarterville, IL | Community college | Certificate | 39 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,630 |
| John A Logan CollegeCarterville, IL | Community college | Associate degree | 7 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,630 |
| John Wood Community CollegeQuincy, IL | Community college | Certificate | 32 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5,700 |
| Joliet Junior CollegeJoliet, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 40 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,530 |
| Joliet Junior CollegeJoliet, IL | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,530 |
| Kankakee Community CollegeKankakee, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 73 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5,220 |
| Kankakee Community CollegeKankakee, IL | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5,220 |
| Kaskaskia CollegeCentralia, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 41 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,980 |
| Kaskaskia CollegeCentralia, IL | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 7 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,980 |
| Kishwaukee CollegeMalta, IL | Community college | Certificate | 10 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,800 |
| Lake Land CollegeMattoon, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 119 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,620 |
| Lake Land CollegeMattoon, IL | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,620 |
| Lewis and Clark Community CollegeGodfrey, IL | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 9 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,536 |
| McHenry County CollegeCrystal Lake, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 63 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,162 |
| Moraine Valley Community CollegePalos Hills, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 89 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $3,942 |
| Morton CollegeCicero, IL | Community college | Certificate | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5,662 |
| Parkland CollegeChampaign, IL | Community college | Certificate | 17 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,464 |
| Prairie State CollegeChicago Heights, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 10 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,176 |
| Rend Lake CollegeIna, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 36 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,500 |
| Rend Lake CollegeIna, IL | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,500 |
| Richland Community CollegeDecatur, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 12 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,770 |
| Richland Community CollegeDecatur, IL | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,770 |
| Rock Valley CollegeRockford, IL | Community college | Certificate | 58 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,324 |
| Sauk Valley Community CollegeDixon, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 78 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5,520 |
| Shawnee Community CollegeUllin, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 61 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,800 |
| South Suburban CollegeSouth Holland, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 8 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5,393 |
| Southeastern Illinois CollegeHarrisburg, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 24 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,560 |
| Southeastern Illinois CollegeHarrisburg, IL | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,560 |
| Spoon River CollegeCanton, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 77 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $6,300 |
| Triton CollegeRiver Grove, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 37 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $5,340 |
| Waubonsee Community CollegeSugar Grove, IL | Community college | Certificate | 36 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $3,576 |
| Waubonsee Community CollegeSugar Grove, IL | Community college | Associate degree | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $3,576 |
| William Rainey Harper CollegePalatine, IL | Public community or technical college | Certificate | 104 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,038 |
| William Rainey Harper CollegePalatine, IL | Public community or technical college | Associate degree | 15 | n/a | n/a | n/a | $4,038 |
Cities with the most programs: Chicago (3), Springfield (2), Rockford (2), East Peoria (1), Melrose Park (1), Lisle (1), Belleville (1), Willowbrook (1), Galesburg (1), Godfrey (1), Moline (1), Glen Ellyn (1).
What counts: precision metal working: welding, machining, CNC and sheet metal.
Frequently asked questions
How many welding schools are in Illinois?
45 schools in Illinois awarded welding certificates or associate degrees recently, according to the U.S. Department of Education: 45 certificate and 19 associate programs.
Which welding program in Illinois has the highest earnings?
Illinois Central College in East Peoria, where certificate graduates earned a median of $45,352 one year after finishing (programs with at least 5 graduates).
What is the cheapest welding school in Illinois?
By yearly tuition and fees, Elgin Community College in Elgin charges $3,324 (2025-26, in-state). Program fees, tools and licensing exams can add to that, so ask the school.
How much do welding graduates make in Illinois?
The typical certificate program in Illinois reported median earnings of $40,917 one year after graduation and $48,505 four years after, for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
More in Illinois: all trade schools · colleges
Other trades: HVAC · Electrician · Carpentry · Construction trades · Auto and diesel mechanic · Heavy equipment mechanic · Truck driving (CDL) · Cosmetology and barbering · Culinary arts · Medical assistant · LPN and CNA · Dental assisting and hygiene · Phlebotomy and medical lab · EMT, surgical tech and imaging · Medical billing and coding · Massage therapy · Paralegal
Welding schools nationwide
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (institution and field of study files), data release of October 15, 2026. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working, not enrolled. What each figure covers.