Non-Destructive Testing Specialists

People in this career inspect equipment, materials, and structures to ensure they meet safety standards. They use specialized tools, such as fiber optics, x-rays, and ultrasound, to examine objects without causing damage. Day-to-day tasks involve gathering information, analyzing data, and monitoring processes to identify potential flaws or hazards. Workers must document their findings, solve complex problems, and make decisions about whether a structure or vehicle is safe to use.

This role is a strong fit for individuals with realistic interests who enjoy practical, hands-on activities. Success in this field requires skills in quality control analysis, critical thinking, active listening, and reading comprehension. Workers must have a solid foundation in engineering, technology, physics, mathematics, and computers. Because safety is a primary concern, key work styles include high attention to detail, dependability, cautiousness, and integrity. Specialists must also show perseverance and stress tolerance when working in challenging environments.

To enter this field, the typical education required is an associate's degree. However, some positions belong to a category where workers usually need a high school diploma along with some on-the-job training or experience. Students preparing for this career often major in industrial production technologies, electrical or electronic engineering technologies, electromechanical technologies, or mechanical engineering related technologies. Other relevant majors include general engineering technologies, environmental control technologies, computer engineering technologies, and engineering-related fields.

While preparing for the job, candidates can pursue professional credentials to demonstrate their expertise. An example of a related certification is the Oil Monitoring Analyst I, which is offered by the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers.

The median annual pay for these specialists is $78,350. The lowest 10% of earners make less than $47,030, while the highest 10% earn more than $118,330. These wage figures represent the broader group classified as engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other.

There are 59,930 people employed in this field. Between the years 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 2.8%, which is as fast as average for all occupations. This growth is expected to result in 5,400 job openings each year.