Wielding

Types of Degrees Wielding Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many welding technology/welder graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Basic Certificate	29,972
Undergraduate Certificate	17,163
Associate Degree	3,424
Bachelor’s Degree	2

What Wielding Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, wielding majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Wielding Majors

Wielding majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Skills for Wielding Majors

A major in wielding prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities for Wielding Majors

A major in wielding will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
• Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
• Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

What Can You Do With a Wielding Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with wielding:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Solderers and Brazers	5.6%	$41,380
Welders, Cutters, and Welder Fitters	5.6%	$41,380

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Wielding?

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of wielding majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	0
Black or African American	0
Hispanic or Latino	0
White	2
International Students	0
Other Races/Ethnicities	0

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Wielding

Some degrees associated with wielding may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to wielding have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	18.1%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	44.3%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	30.1%
Some College Courses	6.4%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	1.4%
Bachelor’s Degree	0.2%

Online Wielding Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	730	3
Certificate (2-4 Years)	22	0
Associate’s Degree	376	1
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	0	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Wielding

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to wielding.

Major	Number of Grads
Machine Tool Technology/Machinist	3,090
Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) Machinist Technology/CNC Machinist	2,268
Machine Shop Technology/Assistant	1,663
Tool & Die Technology/Technician	500
Metal Fabricator	392
Sheet Metal Technology/Sheetworking	389
Other Precision Metal Working	254
Ironworking/Ironworker	235

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.