Welding Program

The welding program at Prairie State College prepares students for careers as welding engineers, manufacturing engineers, application engineers, sales engineers, and project engineer or manager. The program focuses on applying technical knowledge and skills to join or cut metal surfaces. Program course include: arc welding, resistance welding, brazing and soldering, cutting, high-energy beam welding and cutting, solid state welding, ferrous and non-ferrous materials, oxidation-reduction reactions, welding metallurgy, welding process and heat treating, structural design, safety, and codes and standards. Get more details below including other Illinois colleges that offer welding program.

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Prairie State College

2400 W Bradley Ave, Champaign, IL

The Prairie State College motto is fitting for a local community college: “Start near. Go far.” The college, which opened its doors in 1958, is located in Chicago Heights, Illinois. A two-year community college, it is the only institution run by the Illinois Community College District 515. Prairie State opens the world to its students, offering over 100 choices of certification and academic courses of study. Students leave the halls of Prairie State primed for success in the working world or prepared to matriculate to institutions of higher learning. A majority of the faculty holds master’s and doctoral degrees and works full time at the school. And thanks to the school’s transfer agreements with many highly regarded baccalaureate institutions; its students have a plethora of educational options available to them upon graduation.

Since the college experience is about developing a well-rounded individual, Prairie State offers many extracurricular clubs and activities, encouraging students to branch out academically, culturally, and socially. Students wishing to take a break from studies can also take advantage of the school’s proximity to the Windy City. Chicago offers cultural enrichment in the form of museums, concerts, the theater, and much more.

Cost effectiveness is a hallmark of the community college, and Prairie State is no exception, with tuition rates that will save you thousands of dollars. If you’re looking for features that make a difference between an acceptable education and an exceptional education, Prairie State is the logical choice. Its dedicated faculty and abundance of degree/certification plans will help you start near but go very far, indeed.

Students Enrolled in the Welding Program

Get more details below regarding enrollment, academics, and school demographics. Prairie State College has offered the following academic levels for students:

• Less Than One Year Certificate
• Less Than Two-Year Award

Students by Academic Level (2019)

Students by Gender (2019)

Students by Race (2019)

Source: IPEDS Survey 2012-2020: Data obtained from the US Dept. of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Data may vary depending on school and academic year.

Career Options for Graduates

Welders, Cutters, and Welder Fitters

Description

Use hand-welding or flame-cutting equipment to weld or join metal components or to fill holes, indentations, or seams of fabricated metal products.

Career Outlook & Projections ()

According to the BLS, welders, cutters, and welder fitters employment is expected to grow at a rate of 3.6% from 2014 to 2024

Salary & Wages

• Champaign-Urbana, IL
  • Total Employment: 170
  • Average Hourly Rate: $16.27
  • Average Annual Salary: $33830

Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Description

Set up, operate, or tend welding, soldering, or brazing machines or robots that weld, braze, solder, or heat treat metal products, components, or assemblies. Includes workers who operate laser cutters or laser-beam machines.

Career Outlook & Projections ()

According to the BLS, welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders employment is expected to shrink at a rate of -18.0% from 2014 to 2024

Salary & Wages

• Champaign-Urbana, IL
  • Total Employment: 220
  • Average Hourly Rate: $16.01
  • Average Annual Salary: $33290

Source: Job descriptions, estimated salary and wages, and projected job growth are taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).