Also called: Ship Class Surveyor, ABS Surveyor
Inspects ships for groups like the American Bureau of Shipping to certify they are safe to sail.
Surveyors crawl through ballast tanks, measure steel thickness, watch sea trials, and check that new ships are built to the rules. They travel constantly to shipyards and ports and have the power to stop a ship from sailing.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 6 years after high school. Bachelor's in naval architecture or marine engineering, often plus sea time as a ship engineer.
Ways in: 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering.
Growing about average (about 3% over 10 years).
Low risk for 10 years. Drones and digital twins help, but crawling ballast tanks, judging steel and certifying ships stays human.
Classes: Physics, Chemistry, Welding or shop CTE class.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-2121.
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