How to hire an inspector

How to hire an inspector, step by step

Here's a step-by-step inspector hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an inspector job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new inspector
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an inspector do?

Post an inspector job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your inspector job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an inspector for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an inspector to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an inspector that fits the bill.

   This list presents inspector salaries for various positions.

   Type of Inspector	Description	Hourly rate
   Inspector	Quality control inspectors examine products and materials for defects or deviations from specifications.	$12-25
   Quality Assurance Inspector	Quality Assurance Auditors are employees who ensure the adherence of other employees to company processes and guidelines. They are expected to be experts on quality assurance processes and procedures... Show more	$12-23
   Quality Control Inspector	Quality control associate scientist roles require good observation, critical thinking, and communication skills, in addition to knowledge of procedures and chemistry. They assist in laboratory experiments and research, while working in a team or independently... Show more	$12-22

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Sketch
   • Good Communication
   • Magnetic Particle
   • Customer Service
   • Calipers
   • Safety Standards
   • Safety Procedures
   • NDT
   • Inspection Process
   • Inspection Reports
   • API
   • Quality Standards
   • ISO
   • Level II

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Follow all regulations including OSHA, safety, PPE, JSA and ISO.
   • Deliver thorough QA testing reports that determine product quality and release readiness.
   • Operate and maintain laboratory testing equipment; micrometers, calipers and air gauges to analyze material for conformance to product specifications.
   • Utilize maps and GPS and markers when need
   • Require knowledge of all safety measures and JSA's.
   • Shovel inspector for two 2300 MKII's and 7495 CAT/Bucyrus shovels.

   More inspector duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your inspector job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An inspector salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an inspector in Idaho may be lower than in Louisiana, and an entry-level inspector usually earns less than a senior-level inspector. Additionally, an inspector with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average inspector salary

   $38,757yearly

   $18.63 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level inspector salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 21, 2025

   Average inspector salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$46,655	$22
   2	Oregon	$46,595	$22
   3	New York	$46,408	$22
   4	California	$45,700	$22
   5	Arizona	$44,285	$21
   6	Connecticut	$43,136	$21
   7	Virginia	$42,470	$20
   8	Texas	$41,782	$20
   9	Colorado	$41,532	$20
   10	Maine	$39,456	$19
   11	Florida	$39,029	$19
   12	Minnesota	$38,536	$19
   13	Kansas	$38,511	$19
   14	Missouri	$38,354	$18
   15	Ohio	$38,259	$18
   16	Utah	$38,034	$18
   17	Oklahoma	$37,261	$18
   18	Nebraska	$36,775	$18
   19	Mississippi	$36,298	$17
   20	South Carolina	$35,658	$17

   Average inspector salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Los Alamos National Laboratory	$64,867	$31.19	4
   2	BP America Inc	$62,936	$30.26	1
   3	Arizona Public Service	$62,618	$30.10
   4	BWX Technologies	$62,211	$29.91
   5	Westinghouse Appliances Australia	$61,367	$29.50
   6	Volkert	$59,945	$28.82	103
   7	Cook Children's Medical Center	$59,625	$28.67
   8	RS&H	$59,273	$28.50	38
   9	Hill International	$58,748	$28.24	21
   10	T.Y. Lin International	$57,143	$27.47	11
   11	STV Group	$56,119	$26.98	15
   12	Arcadis	$56,056	$26.95	17
   13	City of Detroit	$55,978	$26.91	3
   14	Johnson & Johnson	$55,760	$26.81	1
   15	Jacobs Engineering Group	$55,168	$26.52
   16	City of Los Angeles	$54,781	$26.34	3
   17	Smiths Group	$54,723	$26.31	3
   18	Aquarion Water	$54,595	$26.25
   19	Alkermes	$54,360	$26.13
   20	Schlumberger	$54,196	$26.06

4. Writing an inspector job description

   A job description for an inspector role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an inspector job description:

   Inspector job description example

   **Title:**
   
   Inspector - NDE (NASA)
   
   **KBR is looking for a Level 2 Certified NDE inspector to support inspection of ground-based pressure vessels and pressurized equipment (PVS) and lifting devices and equipment (LDE) at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) at Greenbelt, MD.**
   
   **Job Description:**
   
   + Under general supervision, independently perform non-destructive test and evaluation activities in support of the LDE and PVS Programs at GSFC.
   
   **Responsibilities:**
   
   + Coordinate NDT activities to ensure efficient and effective delivery.
   
   + Prepare and compile reports.
   
   + Ensure that equipment is always maintained in a serviceable condition and where required is calibrated.
   
   + Communicate on a regular basis with management team and support staff.
   
   + Perform testing in the laboratory environment or at a customer site.
   
   + Responsible for developing, qualifying, and approving procedures, establishing, and approving techniques, interpreting codes, standards, specifications, and procedures, as well as designating the NDT methods, techniques and procedures to be used.
   
   + Have sufficient practical background in applicable materials, fabrication, and product technology to establish techniques and to assist in establishing acceptance criteria when none are otherwise available.
   
   + Have general familiarity with other appropriate NDT methods, as demonstrated by an ASNT Level III. May attend design reviews and technical interchange meetings to provide safety assessments and technical support. Interpersonal relationship building and customer interfacing skills are desired
   
   **Education:**
   
   + High school diploma and 4 or more years of inspecting experience required.
   
   **An International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) union position requires formal training and certification as a minimum of a Level 2 inspector in accordance with ASNT SNT-TC-1A, in the field of UT, MT, PT, and VT.**
   
   In compliance with the U.S. federal government's vaccine mandate, only candidates who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have a reasonable accommodation or approved medical exception will be considered for this position.
   
   KBR is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, veteran status, genetic information, union status and/or beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right inspector for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your inspector job on Zippia to find and recruit inspector candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting inspectors requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new inspector

   Once you have selected a candidate for the inspector position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire an inspector?