Welder Apprenticeship in Oregon

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.

OR Median Salary
$58,590/yr
+15% vs. national
National Median
$51,000/yr
OR Employment
4,870
Welders employed
OR 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 Oregon: Quick Facts

What apprenticeship means here

A registered welder apprenticeship in Oregon 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.

Oregon pay vs. national

Median welder wages in Oregon are $58,590/year, +15% above the national median of $51,000. Wages scale with experience — journey-level workers earn substantially more than apprentices.

Where to find programs

Oregon 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 — Oregon-specific outlook can vary from national figures.

Oregon Wage Spread

Annual wages for Welders in Oregon across all experience levels.

10th pct
$45,570
Median
$58,590
90th pct
$79,230
Middle 50% of workers earn $49,420$66,330

Current Welder Apprenticeship Openings in Oregon

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

Our directory doesn't surface Welder-specific registered sponsors in Oregon. 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 OR for the most relevant results.

Welder Apprenticeship in Oregon

Our directory doesn't list Welder-specific sponsors in Oregon. This typically reflects a smaller regional market where sponsors operate under generic company names rather than trade-specific branding. Nearby states often accept out-of-state apprentices — and apprenticeship.gov can identify current openings by occupation code and ZIP.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Welders make in Oregon?
The median annual wage for Welders in Oregon is $58,590 as of May 2024. Wages range from $45,570 at the 10th percentile to $79,230 at the 90th percentile.
What is the length of a Welder apprenticeship program?
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?
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 Oregon?
We don't have Welder-identified sponsors listed in Oregon, 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 Oregon, a first-year Welder apprentice might earn around $29,295/yr (roughly half the $58,590 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 Oregon-based programs to compare locally — see the national list and filter.

Welder in Other States

Other Apprenticeships in Oregon

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