Also called: Transportation Safety Investigator
Investigates plane crashes, train derailments, and ship disasters to find out what went wrong.
NTSB 'go-team' investigators fly to crash sites within hours, examine wreckage, analyze flight recorders, and write reports that change safety rules worldwide.
Estimate based on federal GS-14/15 pay.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 10 years after high school. Engineering or aviation degree plus years of experience as pilots, engineers, or mechanics.
Ways in: 4-year college, Military. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aviation.
Growing about average (about 3% over 10 years).
Low risk for 10 years. AI speeds data from flight recorders, but examining wreckage on site and judging what failed stays with experienced investigators.
Classes: AP Physics, AP Calculus, Engineering CTE, English (writing).
Official data: O*NET occupation 13-1041.
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