NDT Technician Salary in 2026: What US Pay Data Shows

How much does an NDT technician make?

An NDT technician in the US earns a median of $78,350 a year ($37.67 an hour), according to O*NET OnLine’s wage data for Non-Destructive Testing Specialists (17-3029.01). Pay rises with certification level, method and travel; the table below shows what each published source reports, with its sample and date, and why the figures differ.

What each published source says (checked 18 October 2026)

SourceWhat it measuresFigureSample and date
O*NET OnLine, 17-3029.01 Non-Destructive Testing SpecialistsMedian wage for NDT specialists, from BLS wage data for the broader SOC 17-3029 group (engineering technologists and technicians, except drafters, all other)$78,350 a year ($37.67 an hour)BLS 2025 wage data; 62,400 people employed in the SOC group
ZipRecruiter, Non Destructive Inspector salaryUS national average for the job title, from job advertisements and user data$54,939 a year ($26.41 an hour)As of 17 October 2026; sample size not published
ZipRecruiter, NDT RT Level 2 salaryUS national average for the job title, from job advertisements and user data$61,725 a year ($29.68 an hour)As of 17 October 2026; sample size not published
Glassdoor, NDT Technician Level II salariesSelf-reported US pay, split into base pay and additional pay (overtime, bonuses and similar)Median total pay $77,000; base pay $50,000 to $73,000; additional pay $12,000 to $23,00050 salaries; latest submission 14 August 2026
PayScale, NDT Liquid Penetrant Testing (PT), Level III certificationSelf-reported average base salary of people who hold this certification$102,000 average base salary30 individuals reporting; updated 8 January 2026

Why NDT salary figures disagree

The sources count different things. O*NET reports a median for the whole occupation from government wage data, and that data covers a wider group than NDT alone. ZipRecruiter averages job advertisements and user data for one job title. Glassdoor and PayScale average what individuals report, from samples of 50 and 30 people, and Glassdoor separates base pay from additional pay. Field roles with outage and turnaround work earn part of their pay as overtime, so base-pay and total-pay figures diverge.

Pay by certification level

Each level has its own page with the sources that cover it:

  • NDT Level 3 salary: PayScale reports a $102,000 average base salary for people holding an NDT PT Level III certification (30 individuals reporting; updated 8 January 2026).
  • NDT Level 2 salary: ZipRecruiter’s US average for NDT RT Level 2 is $61,725 a year ($29.68 an hour) (as of 17 October 2026), and Glassdoor’s self-reported median total pay for NDT Technician Level II is $77,000 from 50 salaries.
  • NDT Level 1 salary: no public source reports Level I pay on its own; ZipRecruiter’s average for non-destructive inspectors is $54,939 a year ($26.41 an hour).
  • NDT inspector salary: why job-site averages and the O*NET median differ.

No public source we found reports US pay for each ASNT certification level across all methods. The level figures above are the closest published data, and each names its own sample.

Aerospace NDT salary

Glassdoor’s industry list for NDT Technician Level II puts Aerospace & Defense highest at $66,984, ahead of Energy, Mining & Utilities at $62,716 and Manufacturing at $62,475 (self-reported, 50 salaries; read 18 October 2026). Aerospace NDT personnel are usually qualified and certified under the employer’s SNT-TC-1A-based written practice, aligned to customer flow-down and Nadcap AC7114.

Base pay, overtime and allowances

Glassdoor is the only source above that separates base pay from additional pay: for NDT Technician Level II it reports base pay of $50,000 to $73,000 and additional pay of $12,000 to $23,000. None of the sources reports per diem, rotation or offshore allowances separately, so compare offers on the full package in writing: base pay, overtime rules, per diem, rotation allowance and travel.

Comparing pay outside the US

This guide reports US figures only, because those are the ones we could check against a named source with a date and a sample. For Canada, the UK, the Gulf or India, compare like-for-like roles (method, level, employer authorization, hours, overtime, travel and benefits) on a dated national source, and check the currency and pay basis of each figure. For the US occupation as a whole, the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics programme publishes the wage data O*NET uses.

From pay data to a plan

Pay follows certification, and certification follows training, documented experience and examinations under your employer’s written practice. Atlantis NDT training runs year-round and is primarily self-paced online, with monthly first-week starts and an ASNT NDT Level III answering your questions. Practicals happen in the Practical NDT simulator and in person at your employer’s facility. A course does not certify you: under SNT-TC-1A your employer certifies you, and ASNT also runs central ASNT NDT Level II and Level III programmes. See NDT training, self-paced online NDT training and the free NDT practice tests.

Frequently asked questions

How much do NDT technicians make an hour?

O*NET OnLine reports a median of $37.67 an hour for NDT specialists, from BLS 2025 wage data for a broader occupational group. ZipRecruiter’s US average is $26.41 an hour for non-destructive inspectors and $29.68 for NDT RT Level 2, as of October 2026. Job-advertisement averages for one title usually sit below the government median for the whole occupation.

Why do NDT salary figures vary so much?

The sources count different things. O*NET reports a median for the whole occupation from government wage data, and that data covers a wider group than NDT alone. ZipRecruiter averages job advertisements and user data for one job title. Glassdoor and PayScale average what individuals report, from samples of 50 and 30 people, and Glassdoor separates base pay from additional pay. Field roles with outage and turnaround work earn part of their pay as overtime, so base-pay and total-pay figures diverge.

Which industry pays NDT technicians the most?

In Glassdoor’s self-reported data for NDT Technician Level II, Aerospace & Defense is the highest-paying industry listed at $66,984, ahead of Energy, Mining & Utilities at $62,716 and Manufacturing at $62,475. The sample is 50 salaries, so treat the order as indicative.

Does overtime change NDT pay?

Yes, in field roles. Glassdoor’s self-reported data for NDT Technician Level II shows additional pay, such as overtime and bonuses, of $12,000 to $23,000 on top of base pay of $50,000 to $73,000, for a median total of $77,000.

How much does a Level 3 NDT make?

PayScale reports an average base salary of $102,000 for people holding an NDT PT Level III certification, from 30 self-reported profiles updated in January 2026. No public source reports an all-method Level III figure; see the NDT Level 3 salary page for the detail.

Do I need a degree to start in NDT?

No. In O*NET’s survey of the occupation, 68% of respondents said a new hire needs a high school diploma or equivalent, 9% some college and 9% an associate’s degree. SNT-TC-1A and ISO 9712 base certification on documented training, experience and examination, not on a degree.

Related

Read how to become an NDT technician, is NDT a good career and ASNT certification requirements by level.

Turn the pay data into a plan

Pay in NDT follows certification level, method and documented hours. Atlantis trains to ASNT SNT-TC-1A, led by an ASNT NDT Level III, and Practical NDT gives you scan practice on a 3D simulator before you reach a real job.

A US NDT technician earns $52,000 to $95,000 in 2026, and certification level moves that band more than any other factor. ASNT Level II sits at $55,000 to $80,000, while Level III reaches $95,000 to $145,000. Method matters next: PAUT and TOFD specialists earn 25 to 40 percent above conventional UT.

Three multipliers stack on top of the base band. Certification level is the largest: an ASNT Level III earns 60 to 120 percent above a Level II in the same country, because the role carries procedure approval and personnel qualification authority under SNT-TC-1A rather than inspection alone. Method is second: phased array, TOFD and other advanced ultrasonic techniques pay 25 to 40 percent above conventional UT, MT and PT because the qualified population is small. Work environment is third: offshore and sour-service assignments pay 30 to 50 percent above onshore industrial work, though that premium reflects rotation schedules and hazard exposure rather than higher hourly value. API inspector certifications stack on top of ASNT credentials rather than replacing them entirely.

Source: ASNT SNT-TC-1A (2024 edition) for level definitions; US Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational data for base bands

Technically reviewed by Anoop Rayavarapu — ASNT NDT Level III (UT, RT, MT, PT, VT)
US NDT salary by certification level and method specialisation, 2026
Certification levelBase band (USD)With PAUT / TOFDOffshore or sour serviceTypical authority
ASNT Level I$42,000 - $58,000n/a - Level I cannot interpret$55,000 - $72,000Performs set-ups and readings under supervision
ASNT Level II$55,000 - $80,000$70,000 - $105,000$78,000 - $118,000Interprets and reports to an approved procedure
ASNT Level III$95,000 - $145,000$110,000 - $165,000$130,000 - $190,000Approves procedures, qualifies personnel
API 510 / 570 / 653 inspector$85,000 - $130,000n/a - separate scheme$115,000 - $175,000Signs in-service inspection findings
AWS CWI$70,000 - $105,000n/a - separate scheme$95,000 - $140,000Signs weld inspection to AWS D1.1
Industry market ranges for the United States, 2026. Base salary excluding per-diem and rotation uplift. Level definitions follow ASNT SNT-TC-1A; API and AWS schemes are independent of the ASNT level ladder.

Which NDT certification level pays the most?

ASNT Level III pays the most within the ASNT ladder, at $95,000 to $145,000 in the US against $55,000 to $80,000 for Level II. The gap exists because Level III carries authority a Level II does not have: approving procedures, writing the employer written practice, and qualifying other technicians under SNT-TC-1A.

Does PAUT certification actually increase pay?

Yes. Phased array and TOFD specialists earn 25 to 40 percent above conventional ultrasonic technicians at the same certification level. The premium reflects scarcity rather than difficulty — PAUT requires a current UT Level II first, plus documented phased-array experience, so the qualified population stays small relative to demand.

How much do API inspectors earn compared with ASNT technicians?

API 510, 570 and 653 inspectors earn $85,000 to $130,000 in the US, overlapping the top of the ASNT Level II band and the bottom of Level III. API certification is a separate scheme rather than a rung on the ASNT ladder, and most holders carry both credentials.

Is offshore NDT work worth the pay premium?

Offshore and sour-service assignments pay 30 to 50 percent above equivalent onshore work. That premium compensates rotation schedules, hazard exposure and time away rather than a higher hourly value for the same inspection, so the effective annual comparison depends on the rotation pattern.

What raises an NDT salary fastest?

Adding an advanced ultrasonic method to an existing Level II is the fastest single step, worth 25 to 40 percent. Moving from Level II to Level III is larger at 60 to 120 percent but requires the Basic exam plus documented method hours, which typically takes 12 to 24 months to assemble.

Do NDT salaries differ by state in the US?

Yes, and the driver is industry rather than cost of living. Gulf Coast refining states — Texas and Louisiana — pay above the national band for UT and RT because turnaround demand concentrates there.

Context for these numbers: how the US NDT inspection services market is structured — who buys, how work is awarded, and why the workforce is the binding constraint.

From reading the numbers to changing yours

The bands in this guide are outputs; the inputs are certification decisions. Per-level detail sits on the Level I, Level II and Level III salary pages, and each names the training route that moves you up a band. If you are entering from another trade, the no-degree route from welding into NDT covers what transfers and what does not. Training itself is delivered on-site by Atlantis under ASNT Level III oversight — the training hub covers levels, methods and delivery.

Before you pay a school

Candidates pricing a way into these salary bands should first read what an NDT school actually gives you — and what it cannot.