How much do aerospace quality inspectors make in 2026?
Aerospace quality inspectors are counted in the BLS inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers and weighers series: OEWS May 2025 gives SOC 51-9061 a national median of $48,570 a year ($23.35 an hour), with the bottom 10% near $35,510 and the top 10% at $77,860 across 597,370 workers. That is an enormous general inspection code covering every kind of manufacturing, and this site publishes several records against it. Aerospace inspection sits above its median, and the reason is the regulatory and documentation environment. Aerospace quality work operates under AS9100, manufacturer quality systems and, for maintenance, FAA oversight, which means inspection is not simply checking dimensions but maintaining an auditable record that establishes conformity and traceability of every part and process. Inspectors work with first article inspection reports, material and process certifications, non-conformance and corrective action systems, and increasingly coordinate measuring machines and digital inspection data. Non-destructive testing certification — ultrasonic, radiographic, eddy current, penetrant — raises pay further and is one of the clearest routes to the top of this band. Defence programme work generally requires a security clearance, which narrows the pool. Employment across the pooled series is projected to be flat at 0% through 2034 with roughly 69,900 openings a year. → Full aerospace quality inspector career guide, career path, credentials & placement →
Note: $48,570 blends every experience level and every setting in this occupation. For pay by level alone, see Pay by Level below.
- Aerospace Quality Inspectors earn a national median $48,570/yr ($23.35/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 51-9061); the P10 to P90 range is $35,510 to $77,860.
- The published figure comes from a 597,370-worker general inspection code covering all manufacturing; aerospace inspection sits above its median.
- The differentiator is the documentation environment — AS9100, manufacturer quality systems and FAA oversight make inspection an auditable conformity and traceability record, not just measurement.
- Non-destructive testing certification is the clearest route to the top of the $35,510 to $77,860 band, and defence programme work generally requires a security clearance.
US Aerospace Quality Inspector Pay Distribution · BLS OEWS May 2025
Pay by Level · BLS OEWS May 2025
How much do aerospace quality inspectors earn at each level?
BLS OEWS publishes one blended wage for the whole occupation and does not break pay out by credential or practice level. The levels below distribute the published percentile range across the credential tiers this role actually hires at.
Level medians are aligned to the BLS OEWS May 2025 percentile distribution for SOC 51-9061; GlobalCybers does not yet publish a verified placement sample for this role, so no verified median is shown.
Methodology & Sources
How the numbers on this page are built
Published (BLS): BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 51-9061, United States national estimate. Public, methodologically rigorous, but sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection — so it reflects wages that are already 1–2 years old by the time you read them.
Level and certification medians: distributed across the published BLS percentile range for this SOC code (P10 through P90) according to the credential tiers this occupation actually hires at. They are modeled reference points, not separately surveyed wages.
State and metro figures: modeled — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers state wage index, and for metros by the published metro index for that state. They are estimates of local pay, not BLS state or metropolitan-area observations, and are labelled as modeled in the tables below.
No verified placement sample:GlobalCybers does not yet publish a placement median for this role, so no "verified" figure appears anywhere on this page.
Pay by Career Level
How much does an aerospace quality inspector earn at each career stage?
Aerospace inspection pay follows certification and the criticality of what you sign for. Each median is anchored to the BLS OEWS distribution for SOC 51-9061.
By State
Which states pay aerospace quality inspectors the most in 2026?
These are modeled state estimates — the pooled national inspector median scaled by the GlobalCybers state wage index — not BLS state observations. Aerospace inspection pay sits above the pooled figure in every state, and the roles concentrate around aerospace manufacturing and maintenance clusters.
6 of 51 state guides shown, ranked by median. Bar is relative to California ($55,860), the highest-paying state shown. See all 51 state salary guides →
By Metro
Which cities pay aerospace quality inspectors the most?
Modeled metro estimates: the national median scaled by the state wage index and then by that state's published metro index. They estimate local wage levels and are not BLS metropolitan-area observations. Aerospace manufacturing and MRO clusters carry these positions, and they are geographically concentrated.
BLS OEWS MSA estimates, May 2025. Nominal pay — weigh each metro against its cost of living before relocating.
Certification Impact
Which certifications raise an aerospace quality inspector’s pay the most?
Median annual pay before and after each credential, based on GlobalCybers placement data cross-referenced with BLS. License upgrades move the needle most; stackable certs add on top.
Impacts are not additive, the licensing rows share the same career ladder. Browse all 167 certifications →
Trade Comparison
How does aerospace quality inspector pay compare to related roles?
BLS OEWS national median across the closest trades. Aerospace Quality Inspectors sit mid-pack on median but carry one of the widest P10–P90 spreads, licensing and specialization drive the upside.
BLS OEWS May 2025. Verify aerospace quality inspector wages on BLS.gov →
Take-Home Pay
What does an aerospace quality inspector actually take home after taxes?
The medians above are gross base wage.
Estimates use 2026 federal brackets, standard deduction, and 7.65% FICA. Actual take-home varies with filing status, deductions, and local tax.
FAQ
Aerospace Quality Inspector Salary, Frequently Asked Questions
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