Aviation Inspectors build quality control analysis, operations monitoring and complex problem solving skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians (88%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians | 88% | $82,890 | — | None |
| 2 | Avionics Technicians | 81% | $82,280 | — | None |
| 3 | Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | 77% | $79,870 | — | None |
| 4 | Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 77% | $48,570 | — | None |
| 5 | Automotive Engineering Technicians | 75% | $74,510Pay for the broader BLS group “Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians” | Not compared | None |
| 6 | Mechanical Engineering Technologists and Technicians | 75% | $74,510 | — | None |
| 7 | Nuclear Technicians | 75% | $110,240 | — | None |
| 8 | Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment | 75% | $74,090 | — | None |
| 9 | Construction and Building Inspectors | 75% | $74,690 | — | None |
| 10 | Non-Destructive Testing Specialists | 75% | $78,350Pay for the broader BLS group “Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other” | Not compared | None |
Compared with Aviation Inspectors, median —. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as aviation inspectors (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
88% skill match · $82,890
Installation · Programming · Management of Financial Resources
81% skill match · $82,280
Installation · Equipment Maintenance · Repairing
77% skill match · $79,870
Equipment Maintenance · Repairing · Installation
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians (88% skill match, median $82,890), Avionics Technicians (81% skill match, median $82,280) and Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians (77% skill match, median $79,870), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
None of the 25 closest matches pays more than aviation inspectors at the national median (BLS May 2025). Higher-paying moves usually need more training.
24 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.