What is a lead inspector and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted Expert
Robert Shepherd
introduction image
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a lead inspector. For example, did you know that they make an average of $24.59 an hour? That's $51,148 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 Lead Inspector?

R

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!
ScoreLead InspectorUS Average
Salary
4.0

Avg. Salary $51,148

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
8.2

Growth Rate -3%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
8.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.82%

Asian 7.62%

Black or African American 11.58%

Hispanic or Latino 19.12%

Unknown 4.72%

White 56.14%

Gender

female 23.12%

male 76.88%

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

Lead Inspector career paths

Key steps to become a lead inspector

  1. Explore lead inspector education requirements

    Most common lead inspector degrees

    Bachelor's

    29.9 %

    High School Diploma

    26.3 %

    Associate

    25.7 %
  2. Start to develop specific lead inspector skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    NDT6.80%
    API6.06%
    NDE5.00%
    Inspection Reports4.94%
    III4.59%
  3. Complete relevant lead inspector training and internships

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

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

    The most common certifications for lead inspectors include Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) and Aboveground Storage Tanks Inspector Certification (API).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research lead inspector duties and responsibilities

    • Manage survey crews on prelim route survey, and HDD core sample crews.
    • Coordinate joint surveys with SATORP inspectors and manage clearance of all issue active LBE and NCR.
    • Authore numerous new corporate NDT procedures, update procedures and administer all NDE corporate activities.
    • Comply with all AS9100 and NADCAP requirements.
  6. Get lead inspector experience

  7. Prepare your lead inspector resume

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

    Build a professional Lead 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 Lead Inspector resume.
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    Lead Inspector Resume
  8. Apply for lead inspector jobs

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

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

How Did You Land Your First Lead Inspector Job

Zippi

Are you a Lead Inspector?

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Average lead inspector salary

The average Lead Inspector salary in the United States is $51,148 per year or $25 per hour. Lead inspector salaries range between $35,000 and $73,000 per year.

Average Lead Inspector Salary
$51,148 Yearly
$24.59 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do lead inspectors rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Lead Inspector reviews

profile
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.


profile
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


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019
Cons

Rainy days because we can't work efficiently .


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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