Also called: Inspectors, Testers, and Weighers
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers build quality control analysis, judgment and decision making and operations monitoring 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 Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping (81%).
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 | Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping | 81% | $46,380 | −5% | None |
| 2 | Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 81% | $47,180 | −3% | None |
| 3 | Machine Feeders and Offbearers | 80% | $41,220 | −15% | None |
| 4 | Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | 78% | $53,750 | +11% | None |
| 5 | Engine and Other Machine Assemblers | 78% | $53,710 | +11% | None |
| 6 | Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 78% | $52,800 | +9% | None |
| 7 | Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 77% | $43,960 | −9% | None |
| 8 | Non-Destructive Testing Specialists | 76% | $78,350Pay for the broader BLS group “Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other” | Not compared | None |
| 9 | Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers | 76% | $46,350 | −5% | None |
| 10 | Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | 76% | $48,220 | −1% | None |
Compared with Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers, median $48,570. 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 inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers (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.
81% skill match · $46,380 · −5% pay
Persuasion · Service Orientation · Instructing
81% skill match · $47,180 · −3% pay
Repairing · Equipment Maintenance · Installation
80% skill match · $41,220 · −15% pay
Troubleshooting · Operations Monitoring
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping (81% skill match, median $46,380), Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (81% skill match, median $47,180) and Machine Feeders and Offbearers (80% skill match, median $41,220), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 11 pay more than inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers at the median. The biggest increases: Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (+99%, $96,710), Gas Plant Operators (+81%, $87,820) and Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers (+35%, $65,380).
25 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.