Architecture and Engineering · Holland code RIC

Non-Destructive Testing Specialists

Test the safety of structures, vehicles, or vessels using x-ray, ultrasound, fiber optic or related equipment.

Also called: NDE Technician (Non-Destructive Evaluation Technician), NDT Specialist (Non-Destructive Testing Specialist), NDT Technical Specialist (Non-Destructive Testing Technical Specialist), NDT Technician (Non-Destructive Testing Technician), Industrial Radiographer, NDT Coordinator (Non-Destructive Testing Coordinator), NDT Inspector (Non-Destructing Testing Inspector).

O*NET 17-3029.01

At a glance

US median annual pay: $78,350; Middle half earn $60,390 to $99,310. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED); 68% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 2 of 5; Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

Interpret the results of all methods of non-destructive testing (NDT), such as acoustic emission, electromagnetic, leak, liquid penetrant, magnetic particle, neutron radiographic, radiographic, thermal or infrared, ultrasonic, vibration analysis, and visual testing.
Interpret or evaluate test results in accordance with applicable codes, standards, specifications, or procedures.
Identify defects in solid materials, using ultrasonic testing techniques.
Make radiographic images to detect flaws in objects while leaving objects intact.
Prepare reports on non-destructive testing results.
Select, calibrate, or operate equipment used in the non-destructive testing of products or materials.
Visually examine materials, structures, or components for signs of corrosion, metal fatigue, cracks, or other flaws, using tools and equipment such as endoscopes, closed-circuit television systems, and fiber optics.
Examine structures or vehicles such as aircraft, trains, nuclear reactors, bridges, dams, and pipelines, using non-destructive testing techniques.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Reading Comprehension3.9 / 5
Active Listening3.6 / 5
Critical Thinking3.5 / 5
Monitoring3.4 / 5
Writing3.3 / 5
Active Learning3.3 / 5

Knowledge areas

Engineering and Technology4.1 / 5
Mathematics4.0 / 5
English Language3.9 / 5
Physics3.8 / 5
Education and Training3.7 / 5
Computers and Electronics3.7 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic90
Investigative66
Artistic6
Social7
Enterprising0
Conventional59

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

European occupation titles (ESCO)

material testing technician · DE Werkstoffprüfer/Werkstoffprüferin · FR technicien d’essais matériaux/technicienne d’essais matériaux
fire safety tester · DE Werkstoffprüfer Feuerfestigkeit/Werkstoffprüferin Feuerfestigkeit · FR technicien de préparation essais résistance au feu/technicienne de préparation essais résistance au feu
avionics inspector · DE Avionikinspektor/Avionikinspektorin · FR technicien aéronautique/technicienne aéronautique
welding inspector · DE Schweißinspektor/Schweißinspektorin · FR contrôleur de soudures/contrôleuse de soudures
automated optical inspection operator · DE Maschinenbediener für automatische optische Inspektionssysteme/Maschinenbedienerin für automatische optische Inspektionssysteme · FR opérateur d’inspection optique automatisée/opératrice d’inspection optique automatisée
precision device inspector · DE Präzisionsinstrumentenprüfer/Präzisionsinstrumentenprüferin · FR contrôleur qualité des instruments de précision/contrôleuse qualité des instruments de précision

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Building and civil engineering technicians (3114)20,100 employed
Routine inspectors and testers (8143)54,800 employed
Engineering technicians (3113)74,200 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Craft and related trades workers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Craft and related trades workers, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€40,086
Germany	€38,638
Austria	€38,194
Sweden	€37,856
Netherlands	€37,077
Ireland	€36,098
France	€27,145
Italy	€26,488
Spain	€22,817
Portugal	€11,142
Poland	€10,099

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Exposure to AI

This occupation sits in the middle third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of +0.19. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.

Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.

Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (17-3029).

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

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