What is the salary and career path for a aerospace quality inspector?
Aerospace quality inspector reports under the broad Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers code (SOC 51-9061), which BLS uses across manufacturing, so the OEWS May 2025 median is $48,570 a year ($23.35 an hour), from $35,510 at the 10th percentile to $77,860 at the 90th, with aerospace certification and inspection scope lifting the top. BLS projects 0% growth over 2024–2034 — a flat, no-growth outlook — but replacement needs still leave roughly 69,900 openings a year across the code. No license is required, but GD&T skill, AS9100 knowledge and NADCAP-audited process familiarity define the aerospace role.
- Aerospace Quality Inspectors earn a national median $48,570/yr ($23.35/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 51-9061); the top 10% clear $77,860.
- No license is required, but GD&T skill, AS9100 knowledge and NADCAP special-process familiarity define the aerospace role.
- BLS projects 0% growth for 2024–34 across the inspector code — a flat outlook — though replacement needs leave roughly 69,900 openings a year.
- The ladder runs from inspector trainee through quality inspector and source inspection to quality engineer near $77,860.
Career Path
How do you become a aerospace quality inspector?
Quality Inspector Trainee
Learns measurement and inspection under supervision; pay near the BLS 10th percentile.
Aerospace Quality Inspector
Inspects parts to drawing, spec and AS9100 — around the $48,570 median.
Senior / Source Inspector
Handles first articles, source inspection and CMM programming; earnings near the 75th percentile.
Quality Engineer / QA Supervisor
Owns the quality system or leads inspection; top-decile pay near the 90th percentile.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays aerospace quality inspectors the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 51-9061. National median: $48,570. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does aerospace quality inspector pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles aerospace quality inspectors most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: aerospace quality inspectors rank 4 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +0% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly aerospace quality inspectors clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 51-9061 (aerospace quality inspectors) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do aerospace quality inspectors need?
American Society for Quality credential validating inspection and measurement competency. See all state licences →
Working knowledge of the aerospace quality standard and NADCAP special-process audits.
Geometric-tolerancing and coordinate-measuring-machine skills central to aerospace inspection.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do aerospace quality inspectors use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 51-9061
Salary Levers
How do aerospace quality inspectors earn above the $48,570 BLS median?
Certification and inspection scope
ASQ certification and first-article/source inspection move pay from the $48,570 median toward the $77,860 top decile.
CMM and special-process skill
CMM programming and NADCAP special-process inspection lift earnings above the $35,510 entry tier.
Advancement to quality engineering
Moving into quality engineering or QA supervision reaches toward the $77,860 top decile.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming an aerospace quality inspector worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 51-9061. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Aerospace Quality Inspector Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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