Welding Student Guide to AWS Welding Certification

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If you are working toward a welding career, or already in the field and looking to move up, AWS welding certifications can sharpen your resume and signal to employers that your skills meet national standards. Here is what you need to know before you pursue one.

What Is American Welding Society Certification?

The American Welding Society is a nonprofit founded in 1919 that sets quality and safety standards for the welding industry. It offers professional membership, training, and conferences alongside its certification programs.

An American Welding Society certification is a performance-based credential showing that a welder has passed a standardized test and can perform specific duties. Many certifications allow additional endorsements to document specialized skills.

Why Get American Welding Society Certified?

AWS certification is a type of credential that may help job applicants indicate to an employer that they can perform the required work duties.2 Some employers require AWS certification, either generally or in certain specializations, depending on the actual nature of the welding work and company policy.3

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A certification could increase salary potential and indicate willingness to succeed in the field, too.2 Employers look for AWS welding certifications because they confirm a worker can meet national quality standards, which reduces onboarding time, limits liability, and supports job-site safety.

How Many Levels of American Welding Society Certifications Are There?

AWS offers more than a dozen certifications and endorsements, including:

Certified Welder
Certified Welding Inspector
Certified Welding Educator
Certified Welding Supervisor
Certified Welding Sales Representative
Certified Welding Engineer

Each certification is specially focused around a different area of expertise, and each requires its own set of skills, experience, or qualifications.4

Which American Welding Society Certification Should I Get?

For anyone starting out in welding, the first AWS certification to pursue is the Certified Welder (CW) program. This is the foundational level of welding certification. No prerequisite experience or coursework is required to sit for the exam. Anyone who wants to prove their welding skills can take the test. The certification is entirely based on performance.5

The CW test requires welders to perform welding procedures related to structural steel, petroleum pipelines, chemical refinery, and sheet metal. If a company requires a welder to pass an AWS test during the application process, they might have exact specifications for which test to take.5

A welder can also pursue the test independently to document specific skills. Test options vary by process and position, covering SMAW, FCAW, and GTAW with different filler metals, base metals, and material thicknesses.

How Much Does American Welding Society Certification Cost?

Each certification has its own pricing structure. The CW application fee is $50 for both members and non-members. For current exam fees, contact an Accredited Test Facility (ATF) directly, as pricing is set at the facility level.

At Tulsa Welding School (TWS) Jacksonville, an Accredited Testing Facility, the CW exam costs $200 for current or former students and $500 for non-attendees.

How Long Does AWS Certification Last?

The Certified Welder credential does not expire on its own, but it can become inactive. AWS requires welders to document their continued employment in welding to keep the certification current. If a welder stops working in the field for an extended period, recertification may be required.

Employers sometimes have their own renewal timelines separate from AWS requirements, so check with your employer or the contracting company if you are unsure what is expected.

Where To Get American Welding Society Certified?

To sit for an AWS exam, schedule an appointment at an AWS-Accredited Testing Facility. Use the ATF search tool to find welding test locations near you.

TWS Jacksonville is an Accredited Test Facility. The most requested certifications at this location are:

3/8” Plate w/backing, SMAW (E7018), 3G/4G
3/8” Plate w/backing, FCAW, 3G/4G
3/8” Plate, SMAW (E6010 Root, E7018 Rem.), 3G/4G
6” Sch. 40 Carbon Pipe, SMAW (E6010 Root, E7018 Rem.), 6G
6” Sch. 40 Carbon Pipe, GTAW/SMAW, 6G
2” Sch. 80 Carbon Pipe, GTAW, 6G

You can learn more about certifications and how to make an appointment for a Certified Welder test at TWS by calling the ATF office directly: 1-904-345-5593.

What to Expect on the Day of Your AWS Welding Test

On test day, the ATF will assign specific welding procedures based on the certification you registered for. You will be expected to bring any personal protective equipment your facility requires and be ready to weld without a warm-up period beyond what the test format allows.

Results are typically evaluated by a certified welding inspector on site. If you pass, AWS processes your credential, and you receive a wallet card and certificate. If you do not pass, most facilities allow you to retest after a waiting period.

Knowing your welding test location ahead of time matters. Some ATFs have limited scheduling windows or specific equipment setups, so confirm the details with your facility before your appointment.

How To Prepare For American Welding Society Certification

learning to welding from a professional

The CW program has no prerequisite courses or experience requirements, but passing the exam means demonstrating real proficiency in welding methods and processes.

Where can one learn how to weld? Trade schools such as TWS provide the equipment, training, methodology, and practice for students to learn the basics of welding.

Anyone who aspires to get a CW certification should be prepared to fulfill the following requirements:

Identify proper welding materials.
Understand and follow safety protocols.
Know how to use a welding machine.
Be able to assemble welding joints.
Discern the right welding position for the task.
Follow all welding procedures relevant to the test.

For information on how to enroll in a vocational welding program, contact Admissions at TWS: 1-855-806-4921. TWS offers multiple options for welding training, including the 7-month Professional Welder program, which provides a foundation in SMAW, MIG, TIG, and other common welding practices. Program courses include a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on training, with most time spent practicing welding techniques in the welding lab.

¹https://www.aws.org/about/page/home
²https://www.aws.org/certification/professionalcertifications
³https://www.indeed.com/q-Aws-Certified-Welder-jobs.html?vjk=9554f11704640b2d&advn=2288744940382957
⁴https://www.aws.org/certification/professionalcertifications
⁵https://www.aws.org/certification/page/certified-welder-program
⁶https://www.aws.org/library/doclib/certifications-that-a-welder-can-obtain.pdf
⁷https://www.aws.org/library/doclib/2021-CERT-PROGRAM-PRICELIST.pdf
⁸https://www.aws.org/certification/page/atf-domestic-listing