AWS Certified or not? - College vs. Tech School?

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Good morning, New to welding here and I would like to know how important it is to be AWS certified vs. other or not at all? My background is that I live just outside of Denver and I have found several colleges and tech schools nearby that are AWS certified (according to the American Welding Society's website) but there is a school out in Bakersfield, California that isn't AWS certified, instead it is ACCSC certified. Does the accreditation matter? I can go to a tech school and grab a certificate after 2 years for around 5-6 thousand or I can go to the school in Bako for $15,000. Any suggestions?
Reply:AWS  is a good cert to have. ASME if you want to do pressure work.
Reply:The goal of welding school is to learn to weld and all the technical knowledge required....machines, rods, processes, metallurgy, etc...Most jobs, employers you work for as a welder has, requires there own in house test procedures you have to qualify on. They cover the costs of said tests.The main reason you would need to carry your own, independent cert. test is if you are in business for your self. Even then it rarely comes up. But if self employed, pay close attention to provided, engineered prints, the technical section may call for all welding to be performed by a certified welder in accordance to section D1....etc of the AWS code. If you weld job perfectly and at final inspection, inspectors asks for your certs, and you have none, the customer does not have to pay you.Miller TrailBlazer 251Miller HF-250-1Miller MaxStar 150 STLHyperTherm PowerMax 380 plasmaLincoln PowerMig 180Millermatic 252Miller Diversion 180