How much do quality control inspectors make in 2026?
Quality control inspectors are counted in the BLS inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers and weighers series: OEWS May 2025 gives the SOC 51-9061 national median as $48,570 a year ($23.35 an hour), with the bottom 10% near $35,510 and the top 10% at $77,860. The band is wide for a production occupation, and the reason is that the code contains two quite different jobs. At the lower end is visual and gauge-based checking against a simple standard — sorting, weighing, go/no-go inspection — which requires attention and consistency but limited technical training. At the upper end is metrology: coordinate measuring machine programming and operation, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing interpretation, first article inspection reporting, gauge calibration and measurement system analysis. That work requires real technical capability and sits well above the median. Industry adds a second dimension. Aerospace and medical device inspection carries regulatory documentation requirements and pays above general manufacturing, and inspectors in those sectors often hold specific certifications. The occupation's honest outlook is flat: automated vision systems and in-process measurement have absorbed routine checking, while the technical inspection end has held its ground. Employment is projected to remain unchanged at 0% through 2034 with roughly 69,900 openings a year. → Full quality control 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.
- Quality Control 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 $48,570 median spans two different jobs: visual and gauge checking at the lower end, metrology and coordinate measuring machine work at the upper end.
- Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing interpretation, CMM programming and first article inspection reporting are what move an inspector toward the $77,860 top decile.
- Employment is projected flat: automated vision and in-process measurement have absorbed routine checking, while technical inspection has held its ground.
US Quality Control Inspector Pay Distribution · BLS OEWS May 2025
Pay by Level · BLS OEWS May 2025
How much do quality control 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 a quality control inspector earn at each career stage?
Inspection pay follows measurement capability and documentation responsibility. Each median is anchored to the BLS OEWS distribution for SOC 51-9061.
By State
Which states pay quality control inspectors the most in 2026?
State figures are modeled estimates — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers salary-calculator state wage index — not BLS state observations. Inspection pay follows the industry mix of a state: aerospace, medical device and precision machining clusters pay well above general manufacturing regions.
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 quality control inspectors the most?
Metro figures are modeled — national median times state wage index times published metro index — not BLS MSA observations. Precision manufacturing clusters are often located in smaller industrial cities rather than the largest metros, so the index understates where inspection demand concentrates.
BLS OEWS MSA estimates, May 2025. Nominal pay — weigh each metro against its cost of living before relocating.
Certification Impact
Which certifications raise a quality control 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 quality control inspector pay compare to related roles?
BLS OEWS national median across the closest trades. Quality Control 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 quality control inspector wages on BLS.gov →
Take-Home Pay
What does a quality control 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
Quality Control Inspector Salary, Frequently Asked Questions
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