Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
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Overview
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.
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Titles for this career often contain these words
InspectorTesterSorterCheckerGraderExaminerQualityOperatorMachineWeigherAssemblyClothSamplerPaperControlTechnicianPartsTestLineGaugerSampleTireSelectorCigaretteEquipmentBatteryQCWheelStockPipeElectricMeterLensProductionQAAssuranceInstrumentAdjusterPickerBottleGlassCircuitProcessColorGasGoodsMotorUpLeakWorkerYarnAirContainerBallBarrelBalancerWoodPrintedCounterEngineElectricalScaleTestingTubeAuditorTileSemiconductorBagBalanceCalibratorBlockBrickCanChemicalBoardFilterRollCoreWeighFilmFurGearGolfHairspringLeatherPlateMetalFinalPrecisionTemperatureRegulatorRovingRubberTobaccoVeneerBoxShingleAssorterTypewriterTruerFurnaceBowlingCasingMaterialCellCatcherMeasurerCoalCoilContinuityCylinderDeicerDetectorSizerDieDryElectronicsElevatorFramesTipFinishedTasterInstrumentsGarmentGaugeGlovePairerClubHandHarnessMatScalerInspectionClerkLayoutMatcherLevelVialLoadOutMaterialsMoistureOilOpticalPatternPinionMonitorPowerPressureProofTechnicanSpecialistRagRawServiceRollerWeightWaferStorageTankTroubleTinWasteWatchWireUnitAircraftAluminumAmmunitionComponentsAmpouleArmatureInstallationsAutomaticTruingPenCartridgeBasketBatchBearingBeltingWebbingBilletBinderBobbinBoilerHouseBuckleBuffingBulbAlarmButtonCalibrationFoodCardCarpetCertifiedWeldingChassisComponentChipClasserClassifierPrintingColdCollatorCompressedConeMaintenanceFinishingTenderDieselRelayFlatTouchFireFuelHeadHideTryOrePlantPreSetCarRayLossAcidACValueSystemsBoatTeethBadBathBeltBoneBoxingOnDropEndFreshGunHopJetJigJobNibWetSilkReToll
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Responsibilities and activities

Quality control inspectors typically do the following:

  • Read blueprints and specifications
  • Monitor operations to ensure that they meet production standards
  • Recommend adjustments to the assembly or production process
  • Inspect, test, or measure materials or products being produced
  • Measure products with rulers, calipers, gauges, or micrometers
  • Operate electronic inspection equipment and software
  • Accept or reject finished items
  • Remove all products and materials that fail to meet specifications
  • Report inspection and test data such as weights, temperatures, grades, moisture content, and quantities inspected

Quality control inspectors monitor quality standards for nearly all manufactured products, including foods, textiles, clothing, glassware, motor vehicles, electronic components, computers, and structural steel. Specific job duties vary across the wide range of industries in which these inspectors work.

Quality control workers rely on many tools to do their jobs. Although some still use hand-held measurement devices, such as calipers and alignment gauges, workers more commonly operate electronic inspection equipment, such as coordinate-measuring machines (CMMs) and three-dimensional (3D) scanners. Inspectors testing electrical devices may use voltmeters, ammeters, and ohmmeters to test potential difference, current flow, and resistance, respectively.

Quality control workers record the results of their inspections through test reports. When they find defects, inspectors notify supervisors and help to analyze and correct production problems.

In some firms, the inspection process is completely automated, with advanced vision inspection systems installed at one or several points in the production process. Inspectors in these firms monitor the equipment, review output, and conduct random product checks.

The following are examples of types of quality control inspectors:

Inspectors mark, tag, or note problems. They may reject defective items outright, send them for repair, or fix minor problems themselves. If the product is acceptable, the inspector certifies it. Inspectors may further specialize in the following jobs:

  • Materials inspectors check products by sight, sound, or feel to locate imperfections such as cuts, scratches, missing pieces, or crooked seams.
  • Mechanical inspectors generally verify that parts fit, move correctly, and are properly lubricated. They may check the pressure of gases and the level of liquids, test the flow of electricity, and conduct test runs to ensure that machines run properly.

Samplers test or inspect a sample for malfunctions or defects during a batch or production run.

Sorters separate goods according to length, size, fabric type, or color.

Testers repeatedly test existing products or prototypes under real-world conditions. Through these tests, manufacturers determine how long a product will last, what parts will break down first, and how to improve durability.

Weighers weigh quantities of materials for use in production.

Salary
Median salary: $40,460 annually
Half of those employed in this career earn between $31,840 and $53,500.
$40K$0$20K$40K$60K$80K
Context: Median Salary
How do salaries for this career compare to other jobs' salaries?
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Salary growth for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
Is this job likely to reward you for sticking with it through pay raises and promotions? The higher a job’s “experience quotient,” the more you are likely to get as you stay there.
Experience quotient percentile
Take a minute to look at how much you might expect your salary to increase with each five years' experience, as well as how the numbers working at each age change. Does this seem to be a job for the young or the old, or could it be a career offering steady salary growth for many years?
Salary distribution
$42K$25K$44K$47K$44K$38K$34K$42K$47K$0$20K$40K$60K$80K$100K20-2425-2930-3435-3940-4445-4950-5455-5960-64
Number employed
020K40K60K80K100K20-2425-2930-3435-3940-4445-4950-5455-5960-64
About Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
How do benefits for this career compare to other jobs? The availability of health care, especially employer provided health care, and pension plans can add significantly to the value of compensation you receive in a career. These charts compare how this career compares to other careers with regard to health care and pension plans.
Employee has health insurance
Employer is providing health insurance
Employer-provided pension plan is available
Worker concerns
Some jobs are more stressful than others, and some are just plain dangerous. The following list gives the percentages of inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers who report hazardous or difficult situations typically occurring at least once a week.
  • Exposed to Contaminants (82%)
  • Responsible for Others' Health (68%)
  • Time Pressure (67%)
  • Hazardous Equipment (58%)
  • Hazardous Conditions (49%)
  • Unpleasant or Angry People (39%)
  • High Conflict Frequency (39%)
SOURCES:
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Personality and skills
Can you see yourself in the ranks of Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers? Here are the skills and traits that could lead to success.
Dexterity
Quality control inspectors must quickly remove sample parts or products during the manufacturing process.
Math skills
Knowledge of basic math and computer skills are important because measuring, calibrating, and calculating specifications are major parts of quality control testing.
Mechanical skills
Quality control inspectors use specialized tools and machinery when testing products.
Physical stamina
Quality control inspectors must stand for long periods on the job.
Physical strength
Because workers sometimes lift heavy objects, inspectors should be in good physical condition.
Technical skills
Quality control inspectors must understand blueprints, technical documents, and manuals, which help ensure that products and parts meet quality standards.
Injury and Illness
About 72 inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers become injured or ill for every 10,000 workers, making this job more dangerous than 73% of other careers. The most common specific illnesses or injuries are detailed following.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Chemical burns and corrosions
Amputations
Education pathways to this career
Education attained by inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers typically hold a high school diploma or equivalent.
Sometimes the typical education identified by the BLS differs a bit from the reality of the how much education current workers actually have. The donut shows the education level held by people currently working as inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers as reported in responses to the American Community Survey.
Details: Licensing and certification recommended for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers

The American Society for Quality (ASQ) offers various certifications, including a designation for Certified Quality Inspector (CQI), and numerous sources of information and various levels of Six Sigma certifications. Although certification is not required, it can demonstrate competence and professionalism, making candidates more attractive to employers. It can also increase opportunities for advancement. Requirements for certification generally include a certain number of years of experience in the field and passing an exam.

Education level of Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
Only 17% of inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers have a bachelor's degree or higher.
Education attained by inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
None
High School
Some College
Associate's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Master's Degree
Professional Degree
Doctorate
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Programs recommended by the Department of Education
The Department of Education recommends the following college degree programs as preparation for this career. You can click the program row to learn more about the program and explore a list of schools that offer the program.
Number of degrees awarded in 2018
Education
Education level of awarded degrees
Assoc./Cert.
Bachelor's
Graduate
Gender
Gender of graduates
Men
Women
Race/Origin
Race/origin of graduates
White
Minority
International
Where are the jobs
State-by-state employment numbers
Some careers tend to be centered in specific parts of the country. For example, most jobs in fashion are in New York or California. Let's see if your dream job is easy to find in your dream location! We have a few choices for viewing the data that can help you get a full employment picture.
Select a state to see local area details
Number of Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers per 1,000 workers (ACS)
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORUTWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICANVCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFLPR
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Job density versus job count
Which states hire the most inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers? We wonder if that's a fair question since states come in all sizes, so instead let's start with the question of which states have the highest density of people working as inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers. You can choose to view the number of jobs per state if you prefer.
Salaries by state
Let's get a feel for where inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers earn the highest salaries. There are several choices for which data we consider and how we view that data, and each can lead to different conclusions, so please read on...
Median salary versus state ratio
We use two methods to compare salaries across states:
  • In-state comparisons: the ratio of median (middle) salaries for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers compared to the median salary for all people working in each state, or
  • Median salary: the unaltered median salaries for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers.
We hope the ratio allows perspective about how salaries may compare to the regional cost-of-living.
The darkest shading corresponds to states in which inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers earn the highest salary when compared to other jobs in the state. We think this figure might be a better indicator than the actual salary for your buying power as a state resident.
Select a state to see local area details
Location-adjusted median salary for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers (ACS)
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORUTWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICANVCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFLPR
Employment
8% of Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers are working part time.
We’ve found that some jobs have a huge number of part-time workers, and typically that is because they are unable to find full-time work or the job itself can’t provide full-time hours. With 8% part-time workers, this occupation has a lower percentage of part-time workers than 64% of careers.
8%0%20%40%60%80%100%
Employer types
This donut shares the break-down of workers by employer type, giving us a picture of what employers most typically hire for this career.
Employers of undefined (ACS)
Private for-profit
Private not-for-profit
Local government
State government
Federal government
Self-employed incorporated
Self-employed not incorporated
Working without pay
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Distribution: Salaries of inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers by type of employer
Here are the salary distributions based on employer type.
$40K$40K$46K$49K$68K$33K$41K$51K$0$50,000$100,000$150,000Self-employed not incorporatedSelf-employed incorporatedFederal governmentState governmentLocal governmentPrivate not-for-profitPrivate for-profitAll
Gender
Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers and gender
With 37% women, this occupation has a lower percentage of women than 50% of careers.
Gender of Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
Men (63%)
Women (37%)
Distribution: salaries by gender
Does gender greatly influence your salary in this career? The closer the bars are, the less discrepancy there is.
$32K$46K$0$100K$200K$300KWomenMen
We only include salary data when the survey error is less than 20%, so you may see only partial information for some categories.
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Context: Women in the workforce
How does this career compare to other careers with regard to the percentage of women in the career.
37%0%20%40%60%80%100%
Context: Salary inequity
The median (middle) salary for all full-time male workers in the US exceeds the full-time median salary for women by 19%, and the difference for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers tops that, with the median salary for men 47% higher than the median salary for women.
47%0%20%40%60%80%100%
Race/Origin
Race and origin of Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
This donut shows the distribution of race and origin among those employed as Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers.
Race/origin of inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers
White (71% )
Black (12% )
Asian (7% )
Other (5% )
Multiracial (2% )
Hispanic (1% )
American Indian (1% )
Pacific Islander (0% )
Distribution: salaries by race/origin
Some careers might have a pay disparity based on race or origin, the closer the below bars are the less of a discrepancy is present.
$30K$34K$34K$35K$39K$42K$42K$0$20K$40K$60K$80K$100KOtherAmerican IndianBlackHispanicMultiracialAsianWhite
We only include salary data when the survey error is less than 20%, so you may see only partial information for some categories.