The Certified Welding Supervisor (CWS) credential from the American Welding Society is for people who run welding work, such as leads, foremen and supervisors, and who meet the AWS experience requirements. This page has free practice sets matched to the official content areas and worked explanations of sample questions. It also lists the main exam facts: format, fees, the 70% passing score and retest costs. Practice with the free CWS - Certified Welding Supervisor practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (9 questions with answer explanations).
Prepare for the CWS - Certified Welding Supervisor exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
Interactive CWS - Certified Welding Supervisor resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:
Facts verified Oct 20, 2026 against American Welding Society. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions (Part A) | 150 four-option multiple-choice items | aws-p-001-delivery.sitecorecontenthub.cloud |
| Time limit | 2 hours per part (2.5 hours seat time per part) | aws-p-001-delivery.sitecorecontenthub.cloud |
| Passing score | 70% on each part | aws-p-001-delivery.sitecorecontenthub.cloud |
| Exam fee | $665 (AWS member) / $756 (non-member) | American Welding Society |
| Retake fee | $445 per part; $650 for all parts | American Welding Society |
| Retake policy | Retest guidance given in the Official Score Letter | aws-p-001-delivery.sitecorecontenthub.cloud |
| Validity | 3 years | American Welding Society |
| Delivery | Computer-based test at Prometric test centers (open book) | American Welding Society |
| Eligibility | High school diploma/equivalent + 3 years of practical welding work (or 2 years + 3 years of teaching) | American Welding Society |
| Score release | Preliminary within 24 hours; official letter in 1–2 weeks | aws-p-001-delivery.sitecorecontenthub.cloud |
Facts verified Oct 20, 2026 against American Welding Society. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
According to American Welding Society, “Successful candidates must achieve a 70% or greater score in each exam part.”[1]
CWS is an AWS credential for people who direct welding work and answer for its quality, productivity and safety. The exam has Part A (Fundamentals of Supervision) and Part B (Welding Practices & Economics). Both are open-book, computer-based tests taken at Prometric test centers.
If you do not pass, your Official Score Letter explains the AWS retest policy. Fees, required documents and policies can change, so check the details on the AWS CWS page before you apply.
The content areas below are copied from the official CWS content outline published by American Welding Society. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Practice on this site |
|---|---|
| Familiarity with Welding, Brazing, Cutting, Equipment, Theory and Application[1] | CWS Welding Processes & Techniques Practise matching each welding, brazing and cutting process to its equipment, typical uses and limits. |
| Knowledge of Base Material and Welding Materials[1] | CWS Metallurgy & Material Properties Practise how base metal properties affect filler metal choice, preheat and the risk of cracking. |
| Knowledge of Safety Requirements[1] | CWS Safety Protocols & Compliance Practise identifying hazards from fumes, arc radiation, electrical faults, fire and confined spaces, and the controls for each. |
| Knowledge of Welding Practices and Production Controls[1] | CWS Welding Safety & Quality Control Practise the controls that keep production welds consistent, such as following procedures, material control and in-process checks. |
| Knowledge of Welding Supervision[1] | CWS Supervision & Team Management Practise scenario questions on assigning work, communicating changes and holding crews to procedures. |
| Productivity and Performance[1] | CWS Project Estimation & Planning Practise spotting what drives welding cost and time, such as joint design, process choice, rework and downtime. |
| Understanding of Drawings and Specifications[1] | CWS Weld Procedure Specifications & Qualif... Practise reading welding symbols and drawing notes and turning specification requirements into instructions for the shop. |
| Understanding the General Applications of Welding Standards[1] | CWS Building Codes & Standards Practise working out which code or standard governs a job and what it requires of the supervisor. |
| Welding Inspection[1] | CWS Weld Inspection & Testing Practise naming common weld discontinuities and choosing the right inspection or test method for each. |
| Welding Instructions[1] | CWS Weld Procedure Specifications & Qualif... Practise what a WPS must contain, who approves it and how welders are expected to follow it. |
| Work Reports and Records[1] | Mixed practice tests above Review which records a supervisor keeps, such as procedure and welder qualification records, inspection reports and production logs, and why each one matters. |
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: When implementing project estimation & planning changes in Certified Welding Supervisor, what factor is MOST critical?
Answer: A. Stakeholder buy-in and a clear change management plan
Explanation:
A is correct. Changes to estimates, schedules or work plans only stick when the people affected understand them and have a say in how they are rolled out. A change management plan sets out who does what and when. B is wrong because rushing without preparation leads to rework, missed steps and pushback. C is wrong because a mandate with no input from crews, estimators or inspectors misses practical problems they could have raised early. D is wrong because less communication leads to confusion and mistakes on the floor. Rule to remember: on supervision questions, the answer that involves the people affected and follows a written plan usually beats the fastest or most top-down option.
Question: A Welding Procedure Specification must be signed by:
Answer: B. An authorized representative of the manufacturer or contractor
Explanation:
B is correct. A Welding Procedure Specification belongs to the employer. The manufacturer or contractor doing the welding writes it, qualifies it and takes responsibility for it, so an authorized representative of that organization signs it. A is wrong because the welder follows the WPS but does not authorize it. The welder's own qualification is recorded separately. C is wrong because a third-party inspector may review procedures or witness work but does not own the procedure. D is wrong because the owner or client may require or approve procedures under the contract but does not certify them for the contractor. Rule to remember: the organization that controls the welding owns and signs its WPS and the records that support it.
Question: What is a critical responsibility of a welding supervisor regarding equipment maintenance?
Answer: B. To ensure regular inspection and maintenance
Explanation:
B is correct. A supervisor is responsible for equipment being safe and ready to use. That means setting a schedule of regular inspection and preventive maintenance and checking that it is followed. A is wrong because waiting for breakdowns causes downtime, uneven weld quality and hazards such as damaged cables, leaking hoses or poor grounding. C is wrong because small faults, like a worn lead or a loose connection, can turn into injuries or weld defects. D is wrong because a supervisor can hand off the task but not the responsibility, and still has to confirm the work is done and recorded. Rule to remember: preventing problems beats repairing them, and the supervisor answers for the result even when someone else does the work.
Start with the official material. Read the AWS CWS page and the CWS Examination User Guide, list the content areas, and check which references are allowed, since the exam is open book.
Our questions are written with AI tools for practice. They are not copied from the real exam, so use them alongside the official material, not in place of it.
The CWS exam costs $665 for AWS members and $756 for non-members for the Prometric exams. A retest costs $445 per part or $650 for all parts. Fees can change, so check the current amounts on the AWS CWS page before you apply.
You need 70% or higher on each part of the exam. Part A covers Fundamentals of Supervision and Part B covers Welding Practices & Economics. A high score on one part does not make up for a low score on the other, so prepare for both.
Yes. AWS gives CWS Part A and Part B as open-book computer-based tests at Prometric test centers. Each part has 2 hours of testing within 2.5 hours of seat time. Check the CWS Examination User Guide to see which references are allowed, and practise finding things in them quickly.
You need a high school diploma or equivalent plus at least 3 years of practical welding work in fabrication, construction or a welding-related industry. You can also qualify with 2 years of welding work plus 3 years of teaching. The AWS CWS page lists the documents it accepts, so check it before you apply.
A preliminary Prometric score report is emailed within 24 hours of each exam part. Your Official Score Letter follows in 1–2 weeks. If you do not pass, that letter explains the AWS retest policy and your next steps.
The CWS credential is valid for 3 years. AWS allows renewal, and the requirements and deadlines are on the AWS CWS page. Check them well before your expiry date so there is no gap in your certification.