Materials inspector vs mechanical inspector

The differences between materials inspectors and mechanical inspectors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a mechanical inspector has an average salary of $49,727, which is higher than the $38,864 average annual salary of a materials inspector.

The top three skills for a materials inspector include asphalt, ACI and test results. The most important skills for a mechanical inspector are calipers, micrometers, and mechanical inspection.

Materials inspector vs mechanical inspector overview

	Materials Inspector	Mechanical Inspector
Yearly salary	$38,864	$49,727
Hourly rate	$18.68	$23.91
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	20,168	33,863
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 33%	Associate Degree, 30%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	-	-

Materials inspector vs mechanical inspector salary

Materials inspectors and mechanical inspectors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Materials Inspector	Mechanical Inspector
Average salary	$38,864	$49,727
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $55,000	Between $36,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	-	Omaha, NE
Highest paying state	-	Connecticut
Best paying company	-	PBF Energy
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between materials inspector and mechanical inspector education

There are a few differences between a materials inspector and a mechanical inspector in terms of educational background:

	Materials Inspector	Mechanical Inspector
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 33%	Associate Degree, 30%
Most common major	Business	Mechanical Engineering
Most common college	-	-

Materials inspector vs mechanical inspector demographics

Here are the differences between materials inspectors' and mechanical inspectors' demographics:

	Materials Inspector	Mechanical Inspector
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 75.4% Female, 24.6%	Male, 91.8% Female, 8.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 9.5% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 8.1% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between materials inspector and mechanical inspector duties and responsibilities

Materials inspector example responsibilities.

Utilize micrometers and other precision measuring devices to assure appropriate quality and size of finish products per customer specifications.
Perform AQL inspection for the returned batches for their specify quality attributes and complete the necessary disposition documentation.

Mechanical inspector example responsibilities.

Inspect parts to blueprints using all measuring equipment; micrometer, surface plate, calipers, customer certifications and P.O.
Review vendor supply certifications and first article inspection reports for accurate completion of documentation.
Draft ISO's as needed.
Adhere to FDA and ISO compliance.
Assemble composite assemblies in jigs.
Program and operate Mitutoyo CMM.

Materials inspector vs mechanical inspector skills

Common materials inspector skills

Asphalt, 23%
ACI, 12%
Test Results, 11%
Construction Materials, 10%
Field Testing, 8%
Construction Sites, 6%

Common mechanical inspector skills

Calipers, 10%
Micrometers, 9%
Mechanical Inspection, 8%
GD, 6%
Engineering Drawings, 6%
Aerospace, 4%

Materials Inspector vs. similar jobs

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Materials Inspector
Materials Inspector vs Mechanical Inspector

Updated January 8, 2025

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