Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers

ManufacturingO*NET 51-9061.00United States

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.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning

Median annual earnings: $48,409
Projected change: +4.1%
Typical education: High school diploma or less
Employment: 615.07K jobs

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

The work

What inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

Discard or reject products, materials, or equipment not meeting specifications.
Mark items with details, such as grade or acceptance-rejection status.
Notify supervisors or other personnel of production problems.
Inspect, test, or measure materials, products, installations, or work for conformance to specifications.
Measure dimensions of products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as rulers, calipers, gauges, or micrometers.
Write test or inspection reports describing results, recommendations, or needed repairs.
Recommend necessary corrective actions, based on inspection results.
Read blueprints, data, manuals, or other materials to determine specifications, inspection and testing procedures, adjustment methods, certification processes, formulas, or measuring instruments required.
Read dials or meters to verify that equipment is functioning at specified levels.
Make minor adjustments to equipment, such as turning setscrews to calibrate instruments to required tolerances.
Monitor production operations or equipment to ensure conformance to specifications, making necessary process or assembly adjustments.
Record inspection or test data, such as weights, temperatures, grades, or moisture content, and quantities inspected or graded.
Position products, components, or parts for testing.
Remove defects, such as chips, burrs, or lap corroded or pitted surfaces.
Collect or select samples for testing or for use as models.
Stack or arrange tested products for further processing, shipping, or packaging.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile: $34,936
25th percentile: $39,502
50th percentile: $48,409
75th percentile: $61,847
90th percentile: $79,366

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $48,409 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+4.1%average or slower

2025615,073 jobs

2035 projected640,562 jobs

25,489 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less: 69.8%
Certificate: 26.9%
Some college: 2.6%
Associate degree: 0.7%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

Auditing
Quality Management
Continuous Improvement Process
Calipers
Micrometer
Quality Management Systems
Lifting Ability
Good Manufacturing Practices
Packaging And Labeling
Root Cause Analysis
ISO 9000 Series
Process Improvement
Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM)
Engineering Drawings
Product Quality (QA/QC)
Corrective And Preventive Action (CAPA)
Blueprinting
Machining
Manufacturing Processes
Food Safety And Sanitation

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

01Quality Inspectors13,397 postings
02Quality Technicians8,971 postings
03Quality Control Technicians7,921 postings
04Quality Control Inspectors6,507 postings
05Quality Assurance Technicians5,285 postings
06Quality Assurance Specialists4,764 postings
07Quality Assurance Associates2,708 postings
08Quality Assurance Inspectors2,547 postings
09Inspectors1,909 postings
10Quality Assurance Analysts1,556 postings
11Quality Specialists1,315 postings
12CMM Programmers1,159 postings
13Product Testers1,143 postings
14Vehicle Inspectors951 postings
15Quality Control Laboratory Technicians893 postings
16Quality Assurance Auditors779 postings
17Quality Engineers691 postings
18Engineering Technicians664 postings
19Scale Operators651 postings
20Automotive Inspectors598 postings

Top employers

01Aerotek3,317 postings
02Actalent2,444 postings
03Randstad1,427 postings
04ManpowerGroup1,013 postings
05Food Lion922 postings
06Arroyo Media920 postings
07Kelly Services876 postings
08Terracon Consultants808 postings
09Adecco774 postings
10MS Companies666 postings
11Hitachi528 postings
12Bell Canada508 postings
13KAR Global507 postings
14ACV Auctions489 postings
15Insight Global482 postings
16Carrington460 postings
17Surge Staffing454 postings
18RTX422 postings
19Staffmark385 postings
20Express Employment Professionals376 postings

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