How To Become An Inspector: What It Is and Career Path

Q: How long does it take to become an Inspector?

It takes 4 years of professional experience to become an inspector. That is the time it takes to learn specific inspector skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education.

Q: Do home inspectors make good money?

Yes, home inspectors make good money. They make an average of between $46,000 and $59,000 a year. This job may be full-time, part-time, working for an established company, or on your own. A home inspection can cost between $300 - $800, depending on home size and location.

Q: Do you need a degree to become a home inspector?

No, you do not need a degree to become a home inspector, but there are different requirements for each state. To obtain your license to do this work, you need to pass a national certification exam and, in some states, a state exam.

Q: What degree do you need to be an inspector?

You do not require a degree to be an inspector, but you do need proper certification. The job title "inspector" usually refers to home or vehicle inspections. The more you are familiar with your field of choice, the higher level of competence you bring to your work.

Q: What do building inspectors do?

Building inspectors do important work to keep people safe. Building inspectors regularly check structural quality, architectural requirements, safety and enforce local, state, and national codes. Additionally, they inspect mechanical and electrical systems.

Q: What is the role of a police inspector?

The role of police inspector is a senior position that manages teams on the police staff. The police inspector serves under the superintendent and reviews conduct, efficiency, performance, and enforces department policy and standards.

What is an inspector and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Robert Shepherd

An inspector conducts inspections to ensure that products, services, or processes meet regulatory or industry standards. They work in industries such as construction, manufacturing, and food production. An inspector examines materials, equipment, facilities, and work processes to identify defects or non-compliance. They may also collect samples, review documentation, and provide recommendations. Inspectors play a critical role in maintaining quality control and ensuring safety. They must have attention to detail, knowledge of regulations, and excellent communication.

What general advice would you give to an 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!

ScoreInspectorUS Average

Salary

3.0

Avg. Salary $38,757

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

8.2

Growth Rate -3%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.78%

Asian 8.09%

Black or African American 11.88%

Hispanic or Latino 18.19%

Unknown 4.48%

White 56.58%

Gender

female 38.31%

male 61.69%

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

What are the pros and cons of being an Inspector?

Pros

Chance to work independently and manage own schedule
Potential for career growth and advancement
Consistent demand for inspection services
Opportunities to travel and work on sites across different locations
Good pay and benefits packages

Cons

High levels of responsibility and accountability
Can be physically demanding, requiring standing or climbing for extended periods of time
Possible exposure to conflict or difficult situations when dealing with non-compliant individuals or companies
May require extensive paperwork or report writing
Limited opportunities for creativity or innovation within the role

Key steps to become an inspector

Explore inspector education requirements

Most common inspector degrees

High School Diploma

33.7 %

Bachelor's

26.8 %

Associate

20.1 %

Start to develop specific inspector skills

Skills	Percentages
Sketch	7.43%
Good Communication	7.06%
Magnetic Particle	6.44%
Customer Service	5.91%
Calipers	5.69%

Complete relevant inspector training and internships

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

Gain additional inspector certifications

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

The most common certifications for inspectors include OSHA Safety Certificate and Certified Welding Inspector (CWI).

More About Certifications

Research inspector duties and responsibilities

Follow all regulations including OSHA, safety, PPE, JSA and ISO.
Deliver thorough QA testing reports that determine product quality and release readiness.
Operate and maintain laboratory testing equipment; micrometers, calipers and air gauges to analyze material for conformance to product specifications.
Utilize maps and GPS and markers when need

Prepare your inspector resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your 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 an 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 Inspector Resume templates

Build a professional 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 Inspector resume.

Apply for inspector jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an inspector job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Inspector Job

Ambassador Peer

Inspector, Development Management Services

While I have served in multiple managing roles, my job title has never been "Director."

Retail, Foodservice, Service, & Warehouse Managing roles is about as fancy as I get in terms of "directing" others. My current Regional Inspection title is more descriptive of the areas I attempt to cover. Those positions mostly involved learning and starting from the bottom to work into lower and middle management. A slight variation from that was being the District Supervisor for a Mall retail chain until they closed.

And my Regional Ambassador of Good Will is more of a Coordinator styled role. It has National and even International overtones to it, but involves the cooperation of (especially) the leaders of non-profits and Faith Groups, in that it shows them how to work together for each other's benefit. It seems there are 6 of us in the United States. This role has been a confluence of multiple mentors and opportunities more than a simple and defined path.
Unity & Cooperation work done especially thru' Christian Churches and Churches of Christ (a Brotherhood of [American] Restoration Movement and Stone Campbell Movement Congregations that united) ((now you get the initials in my e-addy)). While Pres. Bush had developed his "1,000 Points of Light", it did not specify a framework as to what that might look like in practical terms. I help non-profits then learn to cooperate.

How do inspectors rate their job?

4/5

Based On 2 Ratings

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Inspector reviews

3.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2022

Pros

Making sure that what goes out reflects my commitment to top quality.

Cons

People who object to getting things right the first time and try to slip slop past me.

5.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2022

Pros

Working for myself. Freedom

Cons

People trying to low ball me on pricing and trying to get me to do more than 1 inspection for the price of one inspection

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2022

Cons

I did not like work with proper guide line

Pros

Fabric checking and find out the problem

Inspector FAQs

What is an inspector and how to become one

What general advice would you give to an Inspector?

What are the pros and cons of being an Inspector?

Inspector career paths

Key steps to become an inspector

Explore inspector education requirements

Most common inspector degrees

Start to develop specific inspector skills

Complete relevant inspector training and internships

Gain additional inspector certifications

Research inspector duties and responsibilities

Prepare your inspector resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Inspector Resume templates

Apply for inspector jobs

How Did You Land Your First Inspector Job

Average inspector salary

How do inspectors rate their job?

Inspector reviews

Inspector FAQs

How long does it take to become an Inspector?

Do home inspectors make good money?

Do you need a degree to become a home inspector?

What degree do you need to be an inspector?

What do building inspectors do?

What is the role of a police inspector?

Search for inspector jobs

Inspector jobs by state