Also called: Structural Inspection Technician
Climbs and rappels around bridges looking for cracks and corrosion.
Bridge inspectors ride snooper trucks with arms that dangle them under bridges, rope down piers, and document every crack so engineers can fix problems before failures.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Engineering degree or technician experience plus FHWA bridge inspection certification.
Ways in: 4-year college, 2-year college, Certification. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Civil Engineering, Civil Engineering Technology.
Growing about average (about 2% over 10 years).
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Drones and AI crack detection cover more of each bridge, so smaller crews; hands-on inspection is still federally required.
Classes: Physics, Geometry, Drafting/CAD, Earth Science.
Official data: O*NET occupation 47-4011.
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.