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

What is a steel inspector and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted expert

Robert Shepherd

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a steel inspector. For example, did you know that they make an average of $22.3 an hour? That's $46,375 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -3% and produce -17,200 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a steel 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!

ScoreSteel InspectorUS Average

Salary

3.6

Avg. Salary $46,375

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.2

Growth rate -3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

7.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.85%

Asian 7.91%

Black or African American 10.25%

Hispanic or Latino 15.69%

Unknown 4.87%

White 60.43%

Gender

female 8.47%

male 91.53%

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 steel inspector

Explore steel inspector education requirements

Most common steel inspector degrees

Bachelor's

34.5 %

Associate

27.3 %

High School Diploma

25.5 %

Start to develop specific steel inspector skills

Skills	Percentages
AWS	26.42%
PT	24.04%
Level II	13.53%
AISC	11.88%
NDT	7.89%

Complete relevant steel inspector training and internships

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

Research steel inspector duties and responsibilities

Check and verify MTR'S of every material to be weld, as well as verifying WPS compatibility with base metals.
Coordinate customer interaction, providing direction and oversight in regard to maintenance, safety, quality assurance and training.
Perform system upgrades several times on steam lines, condensers, air, gas and oil lines.

Prepare your steel inspector resume

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

Build a professional steel 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 steel inspector resume.