Welcome to The Best Underwater Welding Schools Near Me! In the following article, you’ll find a list of the top underwater welding schools in the United States. Even more, we’ve provided thoroughly-researched answers to FAQs about top underwater welding schools and jobs. For example, the history of underwater welding and underwater welding pay scale are just two of the subtopics we’ll explore.
(Looking for general welding schools? Check out The Best Welding Schools Near Me for a list of welding technical schools in each state.)
Find the Best Underwater Welding Schools Near Me:
Table of Contents
We love a prospective welder on a mission! The table of contents below is here so that you can jump to exactly where you need to be.
Underwater Welding Schools Requirements & Cost
The Top 9 Welding Trade Schools in the United States
- The Best Underwater Welding Schools in Texas
- Top 2 Underwater Welding Schools in California
- Best Underwater Welding Schools in Florida
- Underwater Welding Schools in Louisiana
- Best Underwater Welding Schools in South Carolina
- Top Underwater Welding Schools in New Jersey
- Underwater Welding Schools in Washington State
Salary for Underwater Welding Jobs: How Much Do Underwater Welders Make?
Basic Underwater Welding Information
- How Does Underwater Welding Work?
- Why Is Underwater Welding So Dangerous?
- What Are the Underwater Welding Equipment Essentials?
Underwater Welding Schools Cost & Requirements:
How to Become an Underwater Welder
In order to get your underwater welding certification in the US, you’ll need to attend one of the 9 schools profiled below. But before enrolling, you’ll want to make sure you can afford tuition. You’ll also need to make sure you meet the underwater welding requirements for school.
How Much Does Underwater Welding School Cost?
Surprisingly, tuition isn’t too bad. In fact, many schools offer financial assistance to those who qualify. On average, underwater welding school tuition in the United States is nearly $17,500.
Comparatively, the worldwide average is $15k*.
What Are Requirements for Underwater Welding?
Another important consideration are the requirements for underwater welding. Generally speaking, you must fit this criteria to enroll in underwater welding school:
- Have at least a high school diploma or GED
- Be 18+ years of age
- Swim well
- Possess strong mechanical skills
Of course, some schools require more of you and some ask less. Therefore, we’ve included the specific requirements for each of the top underwater welding schools described below. Another great answer to this question is the American Welding Society’s Taking the Plunge page. There, you’ll find a complete guide to starting an underwater career.
Underwater Welding Schools Near Me:
The 9 Top Underwater Welding Schools in the US
First and foremost, we’ll cover a list of the underwater welding schools for certification in the US. All in all, there are 9 underwater welding school locations in the US.
Underwater Welding Schools Near Me in Houston, Texas: The Ocean Corporation
One of the most popular inquiries is where to find underwater welding schools in Texas. Out of the 179 Top Welding Schools for Certification in Texas, there is one commercial diving school for welding, the Ocean Corporation.
Location: Houston, Texas
How much does underwater welding school cost? The Ocean Corporation underwater welding school cost is $22,000. However, financial assistance is available.
Campus: Simply put, this campus is nearly perfect for learning underwater welding. Not only does it feature a specialized deck and diving complex, but also there are 6 different tanks for learning about various aspects of underwater welding. Additionally, there are 6 classrooms accommodating up to 200 students.
Programs: Currently, there are two available programs.
- The first is Non Destructive Testing Training (NDT). NDT trains students to perform quality control inspection. After graduation, NDT students work in a variety of exciting industries. For a complete program description and list of potential careers, see the Ocean Corporation’s NDT Training program page.
- The second is the Ultimate Diver Training (UDT) program. This program teaches students through “hands-on practical training and technical industry knowledge.” To learn more, check out the Ultimate Diver Training program page.
Length:Â You can earn a certification in less than 8 months!
Underwater Welding Jobs: One of the best aspects of the Ocean Corporation is its excellent job placement assistance. This includes help such as professional networking opportunities and job search assistance. (To learn more, see the Job Placement page.)
As you can see, the Ocean Corporation has a lot to offer! The first step is to apply. To get started, go to the How to Apply page.
Top Underwater Welding Schools in California
Another place for underwater welding schools near me is California. In fact, California offers two underwater diving schools. The first is Santa Barbara City College. Another option is the National University Polytechnic Institute.
Best Underwater Welding Schools Near Me: Santa Barbara City College
Location: This commercial diving school is located in Santa Barbara, California.
Cost:Â To uncover tuition costs, visit Santa Barbara City College’s tuition page. Of course, it’s cheaper if you’re a resident of California. In fact, residents of California only pay $46 per unit.
It’s also important to note that scholarships, grants, and financial aid are all options to help offset the cost.
Campus: Situated near the coast, this top notch campus features state-of-the-art technolgy.
Programs:Â At this time, there are two programs in Marine Diving Technology. Students may earn either an Associate in Science Degree or Certificate in Marine Technology.
- As part of the Marine Diving Technology program, students learn to meet the expectations of an entry-level diver. Coupled with well-honed marine welding skills, graduates are prepared to carry out underwater welding projects.
- This is the only community college degree in the US that has accreditation from the Association of Commercial Diving Instructors.
- For extensive information about the programs, see the Marine Diving Technology page.
Length: Wondering how long it takes to complete the underwater welding program? Here’s your answer: 2 semesters, or about a year.
Underwater Welding Jobs:Â Due to an ‘extensive contact system,’ students have access to underwater welding jobs. Moreover, well-trained faculty and a special ‘Careers in Diving’ seminar enable students to find the best underwater welding jobs.
Now is the time to enroll! If you’re ready, use the college’s handy “Steps to Apply” guide to submit your application.
Underwater Welding Schools Near Me: National University Polytechnic Institute
The other underwater welding school in California is the National University Polytechnic Institute.
Location:Â San Diego, California
Cost: Although it costs a little over $15k for tuition, there are various ways to get financial assistance. These include Veteran Affairs Benefits, Pell Grants, and federal student loans.
Campus:Â This commercial diving school features cutting-edge classroom technology and laboratories. Additionally, it has a 44,000 gallon dive tank for students. Furthermore, students perform dives in the following 3 locations:
- Coronado Bay
- An Embarcadero harbor
- Mobile dive vessel at sea
Currently, there are two programs. One is the Diving Medical Technician program. The other is Non Destructive Testing.
- Unsurprisingly, underwater diving can be dangerous. Therefore, the Diving Medical Technician program is for those who want to treat diving related injuries, such as treatment of decompression.
- Another option is Non Destructive Testing. In short, this discipline teaches students to design and conduct safety tests.
As you can see, the programs both approach safety. One treats injuries, while the other works to prevent them. For more details, follow the links above.
Length: All in all, it takes 8 weeks to complete a program.
Underwater Welding Jobs: After graduation, students are qualified to work in some of the highest paying underwater welding jobs available.
Best Underwater Welding Schools in Florida
Of the 24 welding schools for certification in Florida, two have commercial diving/underwater welding programs. The first is Hydroweld USA. The other is the CDA Technical Institute.
Underwater Welding Schools Near Me in Florida: Hydroweld USA
Location: Miami, Florida
Cost:Â If you’re looking for an affordable underwater welding school, Hydroweld USA could be your answer. Because it costs a fraction of some of the other schools on this list – about $5,000.
Campus: Unlike the aforementioned underwater welding schools, Hydroweld USA manufactures equipment. In other words, it’s a school that doubles as a manufacturing plant. Because of this, class sizes and time are different depending on demand.
Hydroweld USA also has a location in Thailand.
Underwater welding school requirements:
It’s important to note that you must have your underwater diving certification before taking the underwater welding program at Hydroweld USA. On the positive side, the school offers a separate diving certification program. The downside to this, though, is that it isn’t transferable to all other commercial diving programs.
Programs:Â In contrast to the first two schools on this list, Hydroweld USA focuses solely on wet/dry welding techniques. In this sense, it’s better suited for students who want to focus on welding itself, instead of diving or medical work.
Length:Â If you like short and sweet, this is for you. The program is about 8-9 days long.
Underwater Welding Jobs: After completing the Wet Welding Program, students are ready for jobs producing underwater welding equipment.
To learn more about Hydroweld USA, visit the school’s website.
Underwater Welding Schools Near Me: CDA Technical Institute
The other underwater welding school in Florida is the CDA Technical Institute. Its purpose is to teach employable skills such as commercial diving, welding repairs, and fabrication.
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Cost:Â $23,500
Campus: If you’re ready to immerse yourself fully into underwater welding, this campus is ideal. Its waterfront campus provides housing, dining, and a computer lab with WiFi included. It also features a laundry room, vending machines, television lounges, a swimming pool, and pool tables.
(Watch a video of the campus/dormitories here.)
Notably, this underwater welding school in Florida sits along the Trout River and is close to the Atlantic Ocean.
Programs: CDA’s signature program is its Maritime Welding Program.
Here are a few important facts about this underwater diving program:
- It has accreditation from the American Welding Society and The National Center for Construction, Education, and Research. This is important because it means your certification is transferable to a number of high paying underwater welding jobs.
- All in all, the program has 30 different topics of study. For example, students attend classes like Marine Nomenclature, Rigging, and CPR/First Aid. For a complete list, see the Maritime Welding Program page.
Length: 16 weeks
Underwater Welding Jobs:Â Since the program is so rigorous/intensive, it prepares students for the best jobs available today. In fact, there’s even a class called Employability Skills/Resume Building. As part of your education, the school provides employment assistance to all of its students.
The following are industries in which many graduates find careers:
- Energy
- Oil & Gas Companies
- Defense Companies
- Manufacturing
- Shipyards
- Construction
For more details, see the school’s Job Placement Services page.
Best Underwater Welding Schools in Louisiana
Another state with an underwater welding school is Louisiana. The school’s name is South Central Louisiana Technical College. In addition to maritime welding, the college offers programs in a variety of technical trades, like Automotive Technology and Surgical Technology.
Location:Â This technical school has a total of 5 locations. However, the underwater welding programs are available at only two: the Young Memorial Campus in Morgan City as well as Houma, Louisiana.
Cost:Â Non-residents of Louisiana pay just shy of $5k, while residents pay less than $2k. (See the Tuition & Fees page for details.) However, Financial Assistance is available.
Campus: The Young Memorial Campus is the newest campus, with up-to-date technology and facilities. Find answers to your questions at the Young Memorial Campus page. Another helpful resource is Young Memorial Campus FAQs.
Programs: The Commercial Diving Program combines hands-on learning with classroom instruction to prepare students for jobs in a variety of underwater welding careers. It focuses on safety, operational, and employability skills. Frequently, students will perform work to prepare them for diving in oilfield operations.
Here’s a list of the 7 certifications available:
- Water Survival with METS
- First Aid/CPR
- Association of Diving Contractors International
- Certificate of Technical Studies – Commercial Diving
- Association of Commercial Diving Educators
- Safegulf Card
- API Rigging
Length:Â 22 months
Underwater Welding Jobs:Â According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average salary in Louisiana for a commercial diver in 2011 was a little over $55k. After completing the program, graduates are prepared to work as specialized welders underwater. A Job Seeking Skills class is part of the curriculum, which prepares students to be effective in their job searches.
Best Underwater Welding Schools in South Carolina
Another crucial school in our “Best Welding Schools Near Me” list is the International Diving Institute. This underwater diving school is located at Old Charleston’s Old Navy Base.
Now, this school is great for newbies, as it doesn’t require previous experience in diving.
Location: North Charlston, South Carolina
Cost: Although tuition itself is $20,500, there are additional costs, such as housing. For a full break down of costs, see IDI’s financing page. As you’ll find, certain expenses are included in the tuition. These include Open Water training, welding equipment, and training.
Also, Federal Financial Aid is a helpful option for the Air/Mixed Gas Surface Supplied Diving program.
Campus: Without a doubt, the campus has some incredible technology:
- 20 foot deep welding tank
- Wet Tank Training “Triplex”
- 48,000 gallon primary container
- 30 foot confined space tank
Another great selling point of getting your certification at the International Diving Institution is the good housing. Although students may live off campus, many opt to live in IDI’s apartments at The Edge.
Best Welding Schools Near Me: The Edge Housing Video
Programs: In sum, there are 6 fantastic underwater welding programs available through IDI.
- The Air/Mixed Gas Surface Supplied Diving program teaches about underwater wet welding as well as topside training.
- Another program, Underwater Welding Certification, supplements your commercial diving training. This will qualify you for even more careers.
- The Hazwoper/Hazmat Training Program covers welding techniques for both underwater and “regular” welding.
- Additionally, you can train to become an ROV Pilot and Technician. Specifically, you’ll learn to provide commercial diving equipment support underwater. This includes operating a remote vehicle!
- The fifth program, Underwater Burning Training and Certification, takes just 40 hours to complete.
- Last but not least, IDI offers a DCBC Unrestricted Surface Supplied Diver Supervisor program. This helps you take your knowledge and skill to the next level.
To learn more about these programs, visit IDI’s Commercial Diving Training page.
Length:Â From start to finish, it takes 4 months to finish the Commercial Diving Program. After that, students may obtain their Advanced Certification in only 2 weeks.
Underwater Welding Jobs:Â According to the school, 9.2 out of 10 graduates work immediately after graduating!
Best Underwater Welding Schools in New Jersey
At the present time, there is one underwater diving school for certification in New Jersey: Divers Academy International. The following is a quick introductory video.
Location: Erial, New Jersey (The satellite campus is located in Pennsylvania)
Cost: Altogether, it costs about $23,400 to attend Divers Academy International.
Campus:Â The campus is equipped with everything students need to become stellar commercial divers and underwater welders. For example, a 60 foot deep dive quarry and Lincoln’s welding simulator help students practice hands-on learning.
Programs:Â As part of the Commercial Deep Sea Diving & Underwater Welding program, students earn a comprehensive education. This includes a number of certifications, such as:
- Non Destructive Testing
- Underwater Welding Certification
- Remotely Operated Vehicle
- Underwater Inspection Training
- Saturation Diving
In addition to being accredited by numerous technical and diving organizations, Divers Academy also has accreditation from the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.
How long does it take to get a welder certification at this school? To get your certification in underwater welding from Divers Academy International, you’ll need to spend about 6 months at the school.
Underwater Welding Jobs:Â Since this underwater welding school in New Jersey, offers so many certifications and has numerous accreditation, graduates have no trouble finding high paying welding jobs upon graduation. A commercial diver salary is quite high, so you’ll be well compensated.
For more details, or to enroll, visit the academy’s “Get Started” page.
Best Underwater Welding Schools in Washington State
The final place of interest in “Best Welding Schools Near Me” is Washington State. Here, there is one underwater diving school, the Divers Institute of Technology. Interestingly, it was the first underwater dive school in the nation to offer an international certification.
Best Underwater Welding Schools Near Me – Virtual Tour of Diver’s Institute of Technology
Location:Â This underwater welding school for certification is in Seattle, Washington.
Cost: Although tuition is $25,900, financial aid is available in several ways. Veterans Education Assistance,GAP funding loans, Parent PLUS, and federal loans and grants are all viable options for offsetting the cost.
Campus: Conveniently located near Lake Union, students are able to practice in a “real world” location. In addition to learning in the open water, students use the campus’ cutting edge facilities and equipment, such as their 11,000 gallon tank for underwater welding and burning.
Best Welding Schools Near Me: Diver Institute of Technology Programs
Overall, there’s one main program – the Commercial Diver Program – as well as a few refresher/upgrade courses for certification.
- First, the most popular focus area: the Commercial Diver Program. Since instructors intermittently take time out from teaching to re-up their skills in the commercial diving/welding industries, they’re always up-to-date on the latest technology and techniques. Not only do students learn technique, but they also learn important skills to succeed in underwater welding long-term. In other words, they learn how to excel within a group work environment, performance management, and decision making skills. This enables them to get the most out of their technical skills.
- Additionally, this underwater welding school offers an International Assessments program. This is for students who want to get their certification as Commercial Surface Supplied Diver under the Diver Certification Board of Canada.
- The Updates/Refreshers courses are valuable for graduates of DIT. Graduates who want to refresh their skills may take classes they took as students, free of cost. (However, they will have to pay for the required underwater welding equipment.)
- There are also a slew of programs under the “Advanced Training” category. These include Diver Medic Technician, Non Destructive Testing, Kirby Morgan Hat Technician Course, and various Specialty Courses. For details about each of these programs, visit the Advanced Training page.
How long does it take to get an underwater welding certification at this school? The Commercial Diving program is 7 months long.
Underwater Welding Jobs: DIT gives graduates an edge over graduates of other dive schools for a couple of reasons. First, international certifications enable students to seek jobs worldwide. Second, the comprehensive Commercial Diver Program curriculum and array of add-on certifications open the doors to many more underwater welding jobs. For more information, read real-life Testimonials from graduates of DIT.
Underwater Welding Salary & Jobs: How Much Do Underwater Welders Make?
As shown in the descriptions of the commercial diving schools above, there are plenty of underwater welding careers available to graduates. Of course, it does depend on the training level, location, and specific job chosen. But whatever industry you choose, the underwater welding employment outlook is great.
For more details about the underwater welding pay scale, check out the video below.
Underwater Welding Schools Near Me: Video – How Much is an Underwater Welding Salary?Â
Best Underwater Welding Schools Near Me: Underwater Welding Information
It’s important to remember that before enrolling in one of the top underwater welding schools, you should get familiar with basic underwater welding information. Stay tuned for articles on the following topics:
- History of Underwater Welding: How does Underwater Welding Work?
- Underwater Welding Dangers: Why is Underwater Welding So Dangerous?
- Underwater Welding Tools & Gear
Best Welding Schools Near Me: Conclusion
Remember that traveling is often a requirement for underwater welding students. Also, you can choose a program that fits your budget and time frame. For example, Hydroweld USA is great if you want a shorter, less expensive program. On the other hand, commercial diving schools like the Divers Institute of Technology is better if you want a high paying, international underwater welding job.
Now that you’ve finished the “Best Welding Schools Near Me,” it’s time to take action. Have fun!
*(Source: Water Welders.)
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