Welders & Cutters vs Inspectors & Testers
Median pay is about $5k higher for Welders & Cutters. The usual entry education is high school plus cert for Welders & Cutters and high school for Inspectors & Testers.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Welders & Cutters | Inspectors & Testers |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $53,750, higher | $48,570 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $46,790, higher | $39,890 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $63,010, higher | $61,440 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +2.4% Growing | +2.5% Growing, higher |
| Openings a year | 40,300 | 66,700 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | High school plus cert | High school |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.2 / 5 | 1.4 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Low | Moderate |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 9th pct | 43rd pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Welders & Cutters
- Active Learning
Only Inspectors & Testers
- Writing
Both lean on monitoring, critical thinking, active listening, speaking, reading comprehension.
More comparisons
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Compare Inspectors & Testers with
Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.