CWE

Part A is a 150-question multiple-choice exam delivered by computer-based testing at more than 450 Prometric Exam Centers worldwide. Part B is a hands-on practical exam administered by AWS in which you apply WPSs and PQRs, use inspection tools, and execute required welds. Both parts require at least 60% to pass.

The exam-only fee is $910 for AWS members and $1,175 for non-members. Retests cost $430 for members and $695 for non-members. Renewal runs $425 for members and $690 for non-members. Confirm current pricing on the AWS price list before you register, since fees can change.

Four years. Renewal requires completing the CWE renewal application and affirming two years of activity in welding education or related activities as defined in AWS QC5 during your certification period. The CWE does not require recertification, only renewal, so plan your activity records before the cycle ends.

AWS states that candidates are required to take Part B before Part A. If you take Part B first, you will not receive your Part B score until Part A is completed. An Exam Score Letter is emailed approximately two weeks after you finish Part A, so build that lag into any job or promotion timeline.

Start with the fundamentals that feed both parts: welding symbols, WPS and PQR interpretation, and inspection principles. Then drill the practical skills with inspection tools and weld replicas. The 80-hour self-paced Part A pre-seminar and the three-day in-person Part B seminar map to that order and include a timed practice exam.

The two most common failure modes are underestimating Part B because it is hands-on rather than multiple choice, and treating the 60% per-exam threshold as a combined average. A strong Part A score cannot rescue a failed Part B. Practicing tool use and WPS reading under time pressure is the highest-value preparation.

No. AWS lists experience in teaching or training as preferred but not mandatory. You do need a high school diploma or GED, completion of a welding training program or equivalent education, and a minimum of five years of work experience in welding-related functions such as construction, production, inspection, or repair.

Yes. Part C, the Code Book exam, is not required for CWE, but candidates pursuing both credentials should take it. To apply for both simultaneously, submit the completed CWI/CWE Exam Application together with the CWE Welding Instructor Credentials form. Passing two of the three CWI exams achieves CWE certification.

Yes. AWS states the CWE program is recognized in U.S. government credentialing systems such as DoD COOL and is respected across industrial and educational sectors worldwide. That matters if you train welders for international contracts or work at facilities serving global manufacturing clients.

AWS cites industry data showing most Certified Welding Educators earn between $55,000 and $80,000 annually, with higher potential in technical colleges, training centers, or contract instruction. Actual pay varies by location and experience, so treat the range as a planning benchmark rather than a guarantee.