Welder Apprenticeship in Delaware

Wages, programs & career outlook

Welders join metal using heat and filler material — structural steel, pressure piping, aerospace alloys, automotive assemblies. Process matters: MIG for production speed, TIG for precision, stick for field repairs, and certified procedures for pressure or critical welds.

DE Median Salary
$56,510/yr
+11% vs. national
National Median
$51,000/yr
DE Employment
510
Welders employed
DE Sponsors
6
Registered programs
Training Term
3.0 yrs
Time-Based
Job Growth
2.2%
2024–2034 projected
Annual Openings
45,600
Nationally, per yr

Welder Apprenticeship in Delaware: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered welder apprenticeship in Delaware combines paid on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Programs typically run 3.0 years and follow a time-based structure. You earn wages from day one — apprentices are employees, not students.

Delaware pay vs. national

Median welder wages in Delaware are $56,510/year, +11% above the national median of $51,000. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Delaware has 6 registered apprenticeship sponsors for welder listed in the U.S. Department of Labor's apprenticeship.gov directory. The sponsor list further down includes joint labor-management programs (JATCs), individual employers, and contractor associations.

Job-market outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 2.2% job growth for welders nationally between 2024 and 2034, with approximately 45,600 annual openings each year (replacement plus growth combined). Apprenticeship demand tends to track local construction and infrastructure spending — Delaware-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Delaware Wage Spread

Annual wages for Welders in Delaware across all experience levels.

10th pct
$44,070
Median
$56,510
90th pct
$92,410
Middle 50% of workers earn $48,980$70,350

Current Welder Apprenticeship Openings in Delaware

No welder apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for Delaware. The sponsors listed below accept applications on a rolling basis — contact them directly. Consider setting up an alert on apprenticeship.gov to be notified when new listings are posted.

Listings aggregated from apprenticeship.gov (US Dept. of Labor). Data refreshed daily.

Welder Apprenticeship Sponsors in Delaware

6 welder-related registered sponsors identified in the DOL ApprenticeshipUSA directory for Delaware. Directory lists sponsor names only — contact each organization directly to confirm current welder apprenticeship openings.

Organization City County
Pinnacle Fabricators Bear New Castle County
Crystal Steel Fabricators Delmar Sussex County
Diamond Fabrication Seaford Sussex County
R.C. Fabricators Wilmington New Castle County
RC FABRICATORS, INC. Wilmington
Graydie Welding Wyoming Kent County
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Welder openings

Filter by occupation code 51-4121 and state DE for the most relevant results.

Welder Apprenticeship in Delaware

Delaware has only 6 Welder-adjacent registered sponsors in our directory — program slots may be competitive and early applications give the best shot at placement. Direct outreach to union halls in the state's largest cities often matters more than formal application windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Welders earn in Delaware?
The BLS reports a median wage of $56,510/yr for Welders in Delaware (May 2024 data). Experience, union membership, and specialization all affect where you fall in the range.
How long is a Welder apprenticeship?
A typical Welder apprenticeship lasts approximately 3 years (6,000 hours of on-the-job training). The program combines paid work experience with related classroom instruction.
Should I do a Welder apprenticeship or go to trade school?
Apprenticeships offer paid training with no tuition, while trade school requires upfront costs but may be shorter. Many Welders combine both — starting with trade school basics before entering an apprenticeship.
How do I find a Welder apprenticeship in Delaware?
Contact one of the 6 Welder-adjacent registered sponsors in Delaware (listed below), or search apprenticeship.gov for current openings. Local union halls, community colleges, and the state apprenticeship agency are good first stops.
How much do Welder apprentices earn?
Apprentices are paid employees from the start. In Delaware, a first-year Welder apprentice might earn around $28,255/yr (roughly half the $56,510 journeyman median), with scheduled raises throughout the 3-year program.

Prefer Trade School Instead?

Apprenticeships pay from day one, but the classroom-first path may fit better for some. Welders also train through trade school programs — shorter timeline, more upfront cost.

Compare 332 Precision Metal Working programs nationwide →
Too few Delaware-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

Welder in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Delaware

Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2024, DOL RAPIDS Registered Apprenticeship database, ApprenticeshipUSA Sponsor Directory.