Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers

Overview

Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers has a national median salary of $48,570 per year, with +2.5% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

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.

Work Values

• Support
• Relationships
• Working Conditions

Work Styles

Responsibilities

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.

Work Activities

• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Documenting/Recording Information
• Getting Information
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
• Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
• Handling and Moving Objects

Detailed Work Activities

• Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished a bachelor's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Bachelor's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for a high school diploma or equivalent.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers:

Video Resources