How to become an Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler or Weigher

Official title: Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers

Also called: Inspector, QA Auditor (Quality Assurance Auditor), QA Inspector (Quality Assurance Inspector), QA Technician (Quality Assurance Technician), QC Technician (Quality Control Technician), Quality Auditor, Quality Control Inspector (QC Inspector), Quality Inspector, Quality Technician, Test Technician

Inspect, test, sort, sample, or weigh nonagricultural raw materials or processed, machined, fabricated, or assembled parts or products for defects, wear, and deviations from specifications. May use precision measuring instruments and complex test equipment.

Main tasks

• Discard or reject products, materials, or equipment not meeting specifications.
• Mark items with details, such as grade or acceptance-rejection status.
• Measure dimensions of products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as rulers, calipers, gauges, or micrometers.
• Notify supervisors or other personnel of production problems.
• Inspect, test, or measure materials, products, installations, or work for conformance to specifications.
• Write test or inspection reports describing results, recommendations, or needed repairs.
• Recommend necessary corrective actions, based on inspection results.
• Read dials or meters to verify that equipment is functioning at specified levels.

How to become one

Quality control inspectors typically need a high school diploma to enter the occupation and receive on-the-job training once employed.

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: Airplane Inspector.
• Apprenticeship: Complaint Inspector.
• Apprenticeship: Inspector, Precision.
• Licence: A licence is required in 12 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $48,570 a year The middle half earn $39,890 to $61,440.
• About 602,000 people work in this job now, and about 617,200 are projected by 2035. (+2.5%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Related jobs

• Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
• Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
• Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
• Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand
• Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
• Cutters and Trimmers, Hand

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Questions people ask

How do I become an Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler or Weigher?

Quality control inspectors typically need a high school diploma to enter the occupation and receive on-the-job training once employed.

How much does an Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler or Weigher earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $48,570 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $39,890 to $61,440.

Is an Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler or Weigher a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 3% by 2035, from about 602,000 to about 617,200 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become an Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler or Weigher?

Usually not. Only 18% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Airplane Inspector.

Will AI change the work of an Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler or Weigher?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.