Manufacturing career directory
Non-Destructive Testing Specialists
Test the safety of structures, vehicles, or vessels using x-ray, ultrasound, fiber optic or related equipment.
Also called: Industrial Radiographer, NDE Technician (Non-Destructive Evaluation Technician), NDT Coordinator (Non-Destructive Testing Coordinator), NDT Inspector (Non-Destructing Testing Inspector), NDT Specialist (Non-Destructive Testing Specialist), NDT Technical Specialist (Non-Destructive Testing Technical Specialist), NDT Technician (Non-Destructive Testing Technician), Certified Welding Inspector (CWI), Corrosion Control Technician (Corrosion Control Tech), Corrosion Technician (Corrosion Tech), NDE Specialist (Non-Destructive Evaluation Specialist), NDI Technician (Non-Destructive Inspection Technician), NDT Engineer (Non-Destructive Testing Engineer), NDT Inspector (Non-Destructive Testing Inspector), NDT Scientist (Non-Destructive Testing Scientist), NDT Technical Advisor (Non-Destructive Testing Technical Advisor), Non-Destructive Technician (Non-Destructive Tech), Non-Destructive Tester, Penetrant Inspector, Predictive Maintenance Specialist, Predictive Maintenance Technician (Predictive Maintenance Tech), Rope Access Technician (Rope Access Tech), Test Technician (Test Tech), Vibration Technician (Vibration Tech)
This is a career information profile, not an advertised job opening.
What the worker does
- 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.
- Document non-destructive testing methods, processes, or results.
- Produce images of objects on film, using radiographic techniques.
Skills, machines and equipment
- Reading Comprehension
- Quality Control Analysis
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Operations Monitoring
- Speaking
- Mathematics
- Learning Strategies
- Complex Problem Solving
Education and training
Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (68.18% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.
Apprenticeships
Ask an employer or registered apprenticeship sponsor about current programs, eligibility, training and pay. A career profile does not confirm that a program is available.
Salary reference
60,390–99,310 USD per year · United States · 2025. Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · 25th–75th percentiles · SOC 17-3029.
Occupational-group wage references are not guaranteed pay for this specialty or an employer's offer.
Career advancement
- Build design, analysis, validation, and project experience; explore senior technical specialist, project lead, or engineering-management paths with the required qualifications.
- Ask employers which demonstrated skills, education, or credentials are needed for the next role. Related careers are exploration options, not automatic promotions.
How Do I Get This Job?
- Review the skills and responsibilities above.
- Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (68.18% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.
- Compare real openings and confirm requirements directly with the employer.
View available jobs — availability is not guaranteed; sample listings are not real openings.
Related career information
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Sources and limitations
O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. ShopFloor adapted occupational grouping, selected manufacturing-relevant occupations, and retained seven legacy guide titles. Specialties and alternative titles are grouped under O*NET occupations; these occupations can also occur outside manufacturing. Source: https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html. No wage, vacancy, certification, or video data is implied. ShopFloor advancement suggestions are general editorial guidance, not O*NET findings or guaranteed career progression. BLS wage ranges, when available, are national 25th–75th percentiles for the source occupational grouping, across industries; they are not local, apprentice, entry-level, or specialty-specific offers.