How To Become A Senior Inspector: What It Is and Career Path

What is a senior inspector and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Robert Shepherd

As the senior inspector, it is your duty to ensure the structural and mechanical specifications of building constructions fit their required standards. It is your responsibility to enforce regulations that pertain to the construction of these buildings. You may either work in an office, where you draw up reports, or on a construction site where you oversee the completion of structures.

Your duty will extend to inspecting constructions and making necessary recommendations. Pertaining to finances, you may also be expected to provide construction cost estimations and determine the value of the property through appropriate assessment.

As a senior inspector, you need to be extremely observant and pay close attention to detail. You need to be objective and constructive when you give critique and convey recommendations in a thorough and not vague manner. With regards to education, you would need to have a background in either engineering or architecture coupled with experience in the assessment of construction specifications.

What general advice would you give to a senior 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!

ScoreSenior InspectorUS Average

Salary

4.2

Avg. Salary $53,511

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.2

Growth rate -3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.76%

Asian 8.79%

Black or African American 12.20%

Hispanic or Latino 19.91%

Unknown 4.38%

White 53.96%

Gender

female 11.40%

male 88.60%

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

Key steps to become a senior inspector

Explore senior inspector education requirements

Most common senior inspector degrees

Bachelor's

37.4 %

Associate

25.0 %

High School Diploma

16.9 %

Start to develop specific senior inspector skills

Skills	Percentages
Asphalt	10.24%
Traffic Control	7.86%
Construction Inspection	6.45%
NDT	6.20%
Inspection Reports	5.18%

Complete relevant senior inspector training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior 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 senior inspector based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior inspector resumes.

Gain additional senior inspector certifications

Senior 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 senior inspector certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for senior inspectors include Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) and Aboveground Storage Tanks Inspector Certification (API).

More About Certifications

Research senior inspector duties and responsibilities

Manage contractors and consultants performing compliance relate work including MTR and document control.
Conduct QA tests on questionable motherboards/CPU's and accomplish environmental tests on new PC models.
Coordinate joint surveys with SATORP inspectors and manage clearance of all issue active LBE and NCR.
Maintain active certifications in SMAW, GTAW, FCAW, and GMAW welding processes.

Get senior inspector experience

Prepare your senior inspector resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior 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 senior 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 senior inspector resume templates

Build a professional senior 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 senior inspector resume.