NDT Training in El Segundo
El Segundo pairs heavy refining with the densest aerospace cluster in the country. Chevron's El Segundo Refinery, rated around 290,000 barrels per day, is the largest refinery on the West Coast and supplies roughly 20% of Southern California's gasoline and over 40% of its jet fuel; the October 2025 jet-fuel-unit fire and subsequent repairs put sustained demand on fixed-equipment inspection crews. On the aerospace side, Boeing's satellite factory, Raytheon (RTX) facilities and Los Angeles Air Force Base — home of U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command — all sit inside El Segundo, with SpaceX's Hawthorne factory next door. That mix means technicians here split between API-style refinery UT work and NAS 410-governed penetrant, radiographic and ultrasonic inspection of flight hardware.
El Segundo pairs heavy refining with the densest aerospace cluster in the country. Training runs on ASNT certification; Level II pay sits at USD 65,000–88,000/year.
Chevron's El Segundo Refinery, rated around 290,000 barrels per day, is the largest refinery on the West Coast and supplies roughly 20% of Southern California's gasoline and over 40% of its jet fuel; the October 2025 jet-fuel-unit fire and subsequent repairs put sustained demand on fixed-equipment inspection crews. On the aerospace side, Boeing's satellite factory, Raytheon (RTX) facilities and Los Angeles Air Force Base — home of U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command — all sit inside El Segundo, with SpaceX's Hawthorne factory next door. That mix means technicians here split between API-style refinery UT work and NAS 410-governed penetrant, radiographic and ultrasonic inspection of flight hardware. The refinery hires against SNT-TC-1A/ASNT qualifications while the satellite and defense plants require NAS 410 aerospace certification, so the strongest El Segundo résumés carry ASNT Level II plus NAS 410 in PT or RT. Examinations are administered locally through American Aerospace Technical Academy (Los Angeles, CA).
Source: ASNT SNT-TC-1A (2024 edition); local market data per city research file
| Factor | This market | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Certification route | ASNT, NAS 410, API 510 | The refinery hires against SNT-TC-1A/ASNT qualifications while the satellite and defense plants require NAS 410 aerospace certification, so the strongest El Segundo résumés carry ASNT Level II plus NAS 410 in PT or RT. |
| Level I pay band | USD 48,000–62,000/year | Entry: performs set-ups and records results under supervision |
| Level II pay band | USD 65,000–88,000/year | Interprets and reports to an approved procedure |
| Level III pay band | USD 100,000–135,000/year | Approves procedures and qualifies personnel |
| Examination centre | American Aerospace Technical Academy (Los Angeles, CA); Pearson VUE Test Center, Los Angeles area (ASNT computer-based exams) | ASNT examinations administered locally |
| Delivery | On-site cohort · arranged venue · blended online theory + in-person practical | No fixed schoolhouse; the model follows the cohort |
Which NDT certification do employers in El Segundo ask for?
ASNT leads this market. The refinery hires against SNT-TC-1A/ASNT qualifications while the satellite and defense plants require NAS 410 aerospace certification, so the strongest El Segundo résumés carry ASNT Level II plus NAS 410 in PT or RT.
What does an NDT technician earn in El Segundo?
Level I sits at USD 48,000–62,000/year, Level II at USD 65,000–88,000/year, and Level III at USD 100,000–135,000/year. Certification level moves pay more than any other factor; method premiums stack on top.
Where are NDT certification exams administered near El Segundo?
American Aerospace Technical Academy (Los Angeles, CA) and Pearson VUE Test Center, Los Angeles area (ASNT computer-based exams) administer ASNT examinations for this market. Employer-certified schemes also allow examinations at the employer's own facility under an approving Level III.
How is NDT training delivered in El Segundo?
Three routes: on-site at the employer's facility with the employer's own equipment, an arranged venue when a cohort forms, or blended — online theory on the technician's schedule followed by a concentrated in-person practical. The practical cannot be done remotely under any recognised scheme.
Delivery follows the cohort: on-site at your facility, an arranged venue nearby, or blended online theory with an in-person practical. See NDT training across the US and employer-sponsored cohorts.