Welder Apprenticeship in Mississippi

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.

MS Median Salary
$49,490/yr
-3% vs. national
National Median
$51,000/yr
MS Employment
6,570
Welders employed
MS Sponsors
2
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 Mississippi: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered welder apprenticeship in Mississippi 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.

Mississippi pay vs. national

Median welder wages in Mississippi are $49,490/year, -3% below the national median of $51,000. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Mississippi has 2 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 — Mississippi-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Mississippi Wage Spread

Annual wages for Welders in Mississippi across all experience levels.

10th pct
$35,840
Median
$49,490
90th pct
$63,000
Middle 50% of workers earn $39,230$61,450

Current Welder Apprenticeship Openings in Mississippi

No welder apprenticeship openings are currently listed on apprenticeship.gov for Mississippi. 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 Mississippi

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

Organization City County
Ingalls Hull Welder Pascagoula Jackson County
Ingalls Pipewelder JATC Pascagoula Jackson County
Search apprenticeship.gov for current Welder openings

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

Welder Apprenticeship in Mississippi

Mississippi has only 2 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 is the average Welder salary in Mississippi?
The median annual wage for Welders in Mississippi is $49,490 as of May 2024. Wages range from $35,840 at the 10th percentile to $63,000 at the 90th percentile.
How many years does it take to become a Welder through apprenticeship?
The standard Welder apprenticeship is 3 years of combined on-the-job training and classroom education. Some programs offer accelerated paths for candidates with prior experience.
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.
Where can I apply for a Welder apprenticeship in Mississippi?
Contact one of the 2 Welder-adjacent registered sponsors in Mississippi (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 Mississippi, a first-year Welder apprentice might earn around $24,745/yr (roughly half the $49,490 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 Mississippi →
Or see all 332 programs nationwide.

Welder in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Mississippi

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