Welder Apprenticeship in Kansas

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.

KS Median Salary
$49,040/yr
-4% vs. national
National Median
$51,000/yr
KS Employment
6,310
Welders employed
KS Sponsors
0
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 Kansas: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered welder apprenticeship in Kansas 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.

Kansas pay vs. national

Median welder wages in Kansas are $49,040/year, -4% below the national median of $51,000. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Kansas has 0 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 — Kansas-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Kansas Wage Spread

Annual wages for Welders in Kansas across all experience levels.

10th pct
$37,920
Median
$49,040
90th pct
$67,450
Middle 50% of workers earn $44,420$58,200

Current Welder Apprenticeship Openings in Kansas

No welder apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for Kansas. That doesn't mean programs don't exist — smaller regional contractors often aren't included in the national directory. 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 Kansas

Our directory doesn't surface Welder-specific registered sponsors in Kansas. This usually reflects a smaller regional market where sponsors use generic company names rather than trade-specific branding — it doesn't mean programs don't exist. Direct search on apprenticeship.gov is the most reliable way to find current openings.

Search apprenticeship.gov for current Welder openings

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

Welder Apprenticeship in Kansas

Welder apprenticeship opportunities in Kansas are best found through direct outreach: contact the relevant national union's closest local chapter, search apprenticeship.gov for current programs, or reach out to your state apprenticeship agency. Our directory reflects what sponsors self-identify by name, which can understate coverage in smaller markets.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Welder salary in Kansas?
Welders in Kansas earn a median salary of $49,040/yr according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024). This is below the national median of $51,000 for the trade.
How many years does it take to become a Welder through 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.
Is an apprenticeship better than trade school for Welders?
The key difference: apprenticeships pay you during training while trade schools charge tuition. Many employers prefer apprenticeship-trained Welders, but trade school can give you a head start on the classroom requirements.
How do I find a Welder apprenticeship in Kansas?
We don't have Welder-identified sponsors listed in Kansas, but that doesn't mean programs don't exist — small regional contractors often aren't identifiable by name. Start with apprenticeship.gov's job finder (filter by occupation and ZIP), then contact nearby-state IUEC/IBEW/UA/SMART locals if nothing shows up locally.
Do Welder apprentices get paid during training?
Apprentices are paid employees from the start. In Kansas, a first-year Welder apprentice might earn around $24,520/yr (roughly half the $49,040 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 Precision Metal Working programs in Kansas →
Or see all 332 programs nationwide.

Welder in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Kansas

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