Also called: NDT Inspector, Ultrasonic Technician, Radiography Technician
Uses X-rays, ultrasound and magnetic fields to find hidden cracks in welds, pipes and parts without damaging them.
You slide an ultrasonic probe along a weld on a pipeline and watch the screen for a tiny echo that means a crack. Another day you X-ray castings for an aircraft engine. Certified Level II and III techs travel to refineries, shipyards and power plants.
Estimated; travel and shutdown work can push pay well over $100k.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 1 year after high school. High-school diploma plus NDT training and certification hours (ASNT Level I-III); military NDT is a common path.
Ways in: Certification, Trade school, Military, On-the-job training. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Nondestructive Testing (trade school), Welding Inspection.
Growing faster than average. No separate BLS projection; strong demand in aerospace, energy and infrastructure.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI reads more ultrasonic and X-ray data, and robots scan some parts; certified techs still inspect in the field.
Classes: Physics, Algebra II, Welding CTE class.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.