Lamar State College-Orange
35.1 mi410 Front St, Orange, TX · Public, 2-year
- Trade grads 2023-24
- 12
- In-state tuition/yr 2025-26
- $3,540
- Median pay 10 yrs, all
- $41,482
SOWELA Technical Community College
Lake Charles, Louisiana. In the 2023-24 award year this school reported 627 awards in the trades we track: electrician, welding, aviation maintenance, machining and CNC, carpentry, plumbing.
- Address
- 3820 Senator J. Bennett Johnston Ave, Lake Charles, LA 70615
Open in Maps - Website
- www.sowela.edu
- Phone
- (337) 421-6565
- Type
- Public, 2-year
- Accreditor
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- Federal student aid
- Eligible (Title IV)
- Undergrads (all programs)
- 2,966
- Also known as
- SOWELA
Trade programs and graduates
Awards (certificates and degrees) conferred July 2023 to June 2024, first majors, as reported to IPEDS.
| Trade | Program (CIP) | Award levels | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrician | Electrician (46.0302) | Certificate, 12 weeks to 1 year (110); Certificate, 1 to 2 years (108); Associate degree (91) | 309 |
| Welding | Welding Technology/Welder (48.0508) | Certificate, 12 weeks to 1 year (64); Certificate, 1 to 2 years (76) | 140 |
| Electrician | Electrical and Power Transmission Installation/Installer, General (46.0301) | Certificate, 12 weeks to 1 year (51); Certificate, 1 to 2 years (18) | 69 |
| Aviation Maintenance | Aircraft Powerplant Technology/Technician (47.0608) | Certificate, 1 to 2 years (17); Certificate, 2 to 4 years (8); Associate degree (6) | 31 |
| Machining and CNC | Machine Tool Technology/Machinist (48.0501) | Certificate, 12 weeks to 1 year (9); Certificate, 1 to 2 years (18); Associate degree (4) | 31 |
| Carpentry | Carpentry/Carpenter (46.0201) | Certificate, 12 weeks to 1 year (21); Certificate, 1 to 2 years (8) | 29 |
| Plumbing | Plumbing Technology/Plumber (46.0503) | Certificate, 12 weeks to 1 year (14); Certificate, 1 to 2 years (4) | 18 |
| Construction Trades | Building/Property Maintenance (46.0401) | No completions reported | 0 |
What it costs
Published charges for 2025-26, as reported to College Scorecard.
| In-state tuition and fees, per year | $4,305 |
| Books and supplies | $1,385 |
| Cost of attendance, per year (incl. living costs) | $15,188 |
| Average net price after grants (aided students) | $6,795 |
Estimate your own price with the school's net price calculator.
Outcomes
College Scorecard field-of-study results for graduates who received federal aid. Fields are the broader 4-digit program family, so welding and machining share "Precision Metal Working". Earnings are medians for graduates working and not enrolled; cohorts lag several years. Scorecard reports outcomes under the school's federal aid ID, which can combine several branch campuses, so counts can exceed this campus's own graduates.
| Field | Credential | Median pay, 1 yr | Median pay, 5 yrs | Median federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (46.03) | Undergraduate certificate | n/a | $79,657 | n/a |
| Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (46.03) | Associate degree | $53,028 n=44 | n/a | n/a |
| Precision Metal Working (48.05) | Undergraduate certificate | n/a | $60,796 | n/a |
School-wide College Scorecard measures (all programs, and all campuses that share the federal aid ID):
- Completion rate within 150% of normal time (first-time, full-time students, all programs): 48%
- Median earnings 10 years after entering, all students and programs: $39,491
College Scorecard recordCollege Navigator record
Nearby schools with the same trades
1500 Proctor St, Port Arthur, TX · Public, 2-year
- Trade grads 2023-24
- 65
- In-state tuition/yr 2025-26
- $1,770
- Median pay 10 yrs, all
- $42,900
855 E Lavaca, Beaumont, TX · Public, 2-year
- Trade grads 2023-24
- 200
- In-state tuition/yr 2025-26
- $2,844
- Median pay 10 yrs, all
- $46,826
Compare more
- Trade schools in Lake Charles
- Aviation Maintenance Schools in Louisiana
- Carpentry Schools in Louisiana
- Electrician Schools in Louisiana
- Machining and CNC Schools in Louisiana
- Welding Schools in Louisiana
Sources: IPEDS Completions 2023-24 (C2024_A) and Directory (HD2024), NCES; College Scorecard institution data (2025-26 charges, released Nov 2, 2026) and field-of-study data (Oct 15, 2026); FMCSA Training Provider Registry (as of 2026-11-02); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked 2026-11-02. IPEDS unit ID 160579. How we build this list.