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The differences between inspectors and utility inspectors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a utility inspector has an average salary of $43,725, which is higher than the $38,757 average annual salary of an inspector.
The top three skills for an inspector include sketch, good communication and magnetic particle. The most important skills for a utility inspector are pipeline construction, gas meters, and backfill.
| Inspector | Utility Inspector | |
| Yearly salary | $38,757 | $43,725 |
| Hourly rate | $18.63 | $21.02 |
| Growth rate | -3% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 17,670 | 23,106 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Average age | 45 | 50 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
An inspector is responsible for overseeing the overall condition of the site, ensuring that it complies with the safety standards and regulations. Inspectors' duties include monitoring the quality of the materials used, inspecting any defects and discrepancies that might compromise the operations, generating reports to assess the product costing if it meets the budget goals, and utilizing available resources in the market for the highest quality project. An inspector must have excellent decision-making and critical-thinking skills to perform comprehensive actions on risk management and service delivery.
A utility inspector is responsible for ensuring the safety of facilities and the stability of components and equipment that support daily operational functions. Utility inspectors inspect utility tools and equipment, conduct preventive maintenance, and identify inconsistencies for immediate repairs or replacement. They also handle the installation of new equipment and machinery, requiring them to have an excellent analysis of schematics and blueprints for accuracy. A utility inspector must have excellent mechanical and organizational skills, especially in writing incident reports and developing resolutions to avoid potential hazards and operational delays.
Inspectors and utility inspectors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Inspector | Utility Inspector | |
| Average salary | $38,757 | $43,725 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $54,000 | Between $32,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vancouver, WA | Sacramento, CA |
| Highest paying state | Louisiana | Montana |
| Best paying company | Los Alamos National Laboratory | RS&H |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between an inspector and a utility inspector in terms of educational background:
| Inspector | Utility Inspector | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | San Diego State University |
Here are the differences between inspectors' and utility inspectors' demographics:
| Inspector | Utility Inspector | |
| Average age | 45 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.7% Female, 38.3% | Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 8.1% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.0% Asian, 3.4% White, 68.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |