What is a quality assurance inspector and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Robert Shepherd

A quality assurance inspector ensures that products or services meet quality standards and specifications. They examine and test for defects, deviations, and inconsistencies, and document their findings. Quality assurance inspectors work in industries including manufacturing, healthcare, and food processing. They use specialized tools and equipment to perform inspections and test samples. They also recommend solutions and implement process improvements. Success in this role requires attention to detail, analytical skills, and knowledge of industry regulations.

What general advice would you give to a quality assurance inspector?

Robert Shepherd

NAESA International

People entering the workforce for the first time and recent grads cannot become elevator inspectors do to prerequisites required, which cannot be attained in any sort of schooling supplied in the world, there is none in existence. Th only way you get to be a certified elevator inspector is by successfully attaining a diploma from the school of hard knocks, so OJT is the only way!

ScoreQuality Assurance InspectorUS Average

Salary

2.9

Avg. Salary $36,842

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.2

Growth rate -3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

7.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.82%

Asian 9.11%

Black or African American 10.98%

Hispanic or Latino 21.18%

Unknown 4.73%

White 53.19%

Gender

female 28.27%

male 71.73%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress level

8.2

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.3

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.4

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a quality assurance inspector?

Pros

Chance to improve manufacturing processes
Potential for career advancement in various industries
Strong job security due to demand for quality control
Satisfaction of contributing to a company's success
Continuous learning and development of technical skills

Cons

May need to work long hours or nights/weekends depending on production schedules
Can involve exposure to hazardous materials or environments
May require travel to different locations for inspections
Pressure to meet production deadlines can sometimes compromise quality control efforts
May experience conflicts with co-workers or management over quality control decisions

Key steps to become a quality assurance inspector

Explore quality assurance inspector education requirements

Most common quality assurance inspector degrees

Bachelor's

34.0 %

Associate

28.5 %

High School Diploma

21.2 %

Start to develop specific quality assurance inspector skills

Skills	Percentages
Calipers	6.86%
Micrometers	5.92%
Corrective Action	5.31%
Safety Standards	5.02%
Inspection Reports	4.38%

Complete relevant quality assurance inspector training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New quality assurance inspectors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a quality assurance inspector based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real quality assurance inspector resumes.

Gain additional quality assurance inspector certifications

Quality assurance inspector certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific quality assurance inspector certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for quality assurance inspectors include Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) and OSHA Safety Certificate .

More About Certifications

Research quality assurance inspector duties and responsibilities

Coordinate joint surveys with SATORP inspectors and manage clearance of all issue active LBE and NCR.
Work with IPC and ISO regulations.
Examine parts for damage or excessive wear using micrometers and gauges and other specialize test equipment.
Measure dimensions of products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as rulers, calipers or micrometers.

Prepare your quality assurance inspector resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your quality assurance inspector resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a quality assurance inspector resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable quality assurance inspector resume templates

Build a professional quality assurance inspector resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your quality assurance inspector resume.