NDT Technician Salary: United States
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The median annual wage for NDT Technician in the United States was $78,350 in May 2025 (BLS). The middle half of workers earned between $60,390 and $99,310.
Closest proxy Our title "NDT Technician" is reported by BLS as SOC 17-3029 Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other. Closest proxy: Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other. This published occupation covers only part of NDT Technician; do not treat it as a quoted range for the complete role.
Annual wages
NDT Technician, the United States, annual wages: 10% earned less than $47,030, half earned less than the median of $78,350, 90% earned less than $118,330 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Annual wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,030 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $60,390 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $78,350 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $99,310 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $118,330 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $80,960 | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Hourly wages
NDT Technician, the United States, hourly wages: 10% earned less than $22.61, half earned less than the median of $37.67, 90% earned less than $56.89 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Hourly wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $22.61 per hour | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $29.03 per hour | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $37.67 per hour | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $47.75 per hour | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $56.89 per hour | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $38.93 per hour | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Employment: BLS estimates 59,930 workers in this occupation nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-3029 Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other, National.
What BLS wages include. Base pay plus any guaranteed or production-based incentive pay. They leave out overtime, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation.
BLS definitions, verbatim
wages
Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
hours
Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly wages by 2,080 hours; for occupations where hourly wages are not published, annual wages were taken directly from the reported survey data.
Target metros
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th percentile | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $63,830 | $51,110 to $80,090 | 410 | 0.38 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $61,610 | $51,210 to $76,720 | 300 | 0.53 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $65,780 | $56,600 to $92,290 | 460 | 0.85 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $76,090 | $55,700 to $85,230 | 170 | 0.58 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $78,890 | $63,160 to $103,780 | 1,120 | 0.31 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $78,890 | $63,160 to $103,780 | 1,120 | 0.31 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $71,930 | $53,880 to $93,620 | 1,290 | 0.83 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $76,120 | $52,430 to $102,190 | 2,860 | 2.26 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $81,660 | $70,390 to $98,110 | 410 | 0.24 |
How does NDT Technician pay differ by industry?
These are national industry estimates for SOC 17-3029, not local offers or separate estimates for the niche title. Industry names are exactly as BLS publishes them.
| Industry | NAICS | Median | Basis | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utilities | 22 | $104,170 | Annual | 630 |
| Utilities | 221000 | $104,170 | Annual | 630 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 221100 | $102,220 | Annual | 230 |
| Natural Gas Distribution | 221200 | $109,260 | Annual | 370 |
| Water, Sewage and Other Systems | 221300 | $100,620 | Annual | 30 |
| Construction | 23 | $66,350 | Annual | 320 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237000 | $85,500 | Annual | 90 |
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | $104,620 | Annual | 70 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 238000 | $83,840 | Annual | 120 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | $83,840 | Annual | 110 |
| Food Manufacturing | 311000 | $64,470 | Annual | 160 |
| Dairy Product Manufacturing | 311500 | $100,940 | Annual | 40 |
| Other Food Manufacturing | 311900 | $63,750 | Annual | 90 |
| Manufacturing | 31-33 | $67,900 | Annual | 16,490 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing | 321000 | $85,970 | Annual | 50 |
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 321900 | $85,970 | Annual | 40 |
| Paper Manufacturing | 322000 | $74,900 | Annual | 220 |
| Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 322100 | $62,020 | Annual | 40 |
| Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 322200 | $80,130 | Annual | 180 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 324000 | $110,930 | Annual | 60 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 324100 | $110,930 | Annual | 60 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | 325000 | $81,290 | Annual | 1,140 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 3250A1 | $81,950 | Annual | 860 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 325400 | $79,330 | Annual | 260 |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 326000 | $65,280 | Annual | 330 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | 326100 | $67,060 | Annual | 250 |
| Rubber Product Manufacturing | 326200 | $61,640 | Annual | 80 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 327000 | $67,450 | Annual | 180 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | 331000 | $63,060 | Annual | 710 |
| Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 331100 | $59,900 | Annual | 200 |
| Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 331200 | $67,590 | Annual | 90 |
| Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 331300 | $69,370 | Annual | 60 |
| Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 331400 | $60,480 | Annual | 90 |
| Foundries | 331500 | $61,550 | Annual | 280 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 332000 | $63,840 | Annual | 880 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 3320A1 | $62,960 | Annual | 490 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 3320A2 | $73,040 | Annual | 160 |
| Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | 332700 | $64,100 | Annual | 130 |
| Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 332800 | $75,580 | Annual | 90 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | 333000 | $64,160 | Annual | 2,570 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 3330A1 | $62,390 | Annual | 1,660 |
| Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 333300 | $63,130 | Annual | 520 |
| Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 333600 | $77,710 | Annual | 360 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 334000 | $63,640 | Annual | 3,270 |
| Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 334100 | $68,540 | Annual | 190 |
| Communications Equipment Manufacturing | 334200 | $82,900 | Annual | 100 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 334400 | $61,050 | Annual | 940 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 334500 | $65,400 | Annual | 2,010 |
| Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 335000 | $61,450 | Annual | 1,130 |
| Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | 335300 | $51,990 | Annual | 450 |
| Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 335900 | $72,750 | Annual | 660 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 336000 | $74,170 | Annual | 4,870 |
| Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | 336100 | $79,800 | Annual | 480 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 336300 | $56,580 | Annual | 370 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 336400 | $72,330 | Annual | 2,870 |
| Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing | 336500 | $59,150 | Annual | 50 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing | 337000 | $65,190 | Annual | 40 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) | 3370A1 | $65,190 | Annual | 40 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339000 | $65,100 | Annual | 830 |
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 339100 | $65,020 | Annual | 690 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339900 | $67,940 | Annual | 140 |
| Pipeline Transportation | 486000 | $101,410 | Annual | 430 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil | 486100 | $101,410 | Annual | 110 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas | 486200 | $101,440 | Annual | 320 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | 488000 | $70,580 | Annual | 140 |
| Support Activities for Air Transportation | 488100 | $69,520 | Annual | 120 |
| Warehousing and Storage | 493000 | $53,010 | Annual | 70 |
| Warehousing and Storage | 493100 | $53,010 | Annual | 70 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 54 | $70,080 | Annual | 16,340 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541000 | $70,080 | Annual | 16,340 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | $64,180 | Annual | 8,580 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | 541500 | $80,020 | Annual | 760 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 541600 | $57,790 | Annual | 1,290 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 541700 | $82,550 | Annual | 3,740 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541900 | $78,130 | Annual | 1,930 |
| Repair and Maintenance | 811000 | $81,890 | Annual | 260 |
| Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance | 811200 | $102,740 | Annual | 60 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | $74,450 | Annual | 200 |
Industry estimates are national. Do not combine an industry median with a local percentile to invent an industry-specific local rate.
Which metros publish the highest and lowest medians?
This ranking uses the May 2025 annual median for Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other. It is not adjusted for living costs. A metro is a BLS statistical area, not just the city limits. Top-coded or suppressed medians are not ranked.
| Metro | Median | Employment | Location quotient | Trade median / all-occupations median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $108,850 | 750 | 6.74 | 1.91 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $108,010 | 1,160 | 32.05 | 1.71 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $107,140 | 930 | 1.77 | 1.81 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $105,560 | 450 | 16.63 | 1.65 |
| Anchorage, AK | $103,110 | 160 | 2.41 | 1.71 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $101,770 | 610 | 4.64 | 2.14 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $99,540 | 1,660 | 1.37 | 1.40 |
| Vallejo, CA | $97,470 | 30 | 0.57 | 1.66 |
| Charleston, WV | $96,510 | 90 | 2.22 | 2.11 |
| Las Cruces, NM | $96,100 | 60 | 1.94 | 2.28 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $51,200 | 70 | 0.43 | 0.99 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | $49,580 | 40 | 0.98 | 1.20 |
| Tallahassee, FL | $49,130 | 40 | 0.57 | 1.06 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $48,440 | 120 | 0.96 | 0.98 |
| Bozeman, MT | $48,350 | 40 | 1.31 | 0.88 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $47,730 | 290 | 4.63 | 1.06 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $46,760 | 70 | 0.71 | 1.01 |
| Birmingham, AL | $45,720 | 40 | 0.22 | 0.96 |
| Knoxville, TN | $45,670 | 150 | 0.9 | 0.97 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $40,080 | 70 | 0.27 | 1.36 |
The wage ratio is simple arithmetic: this occupation's median divided by the all-occupations median in the same area and unit. It is not a cost-of-living measure. Location quotient describes the concentration of employment, not relative pay. Neither predicts what a particular candidate will accept.
What do these published wages mean for an offer?
Skilled Trades Headhunters reads the May 2025 figures for NDT Technician in National as an offer reference, not a quote for a particular candidate. For NDT Technician in National, the published median for SOC 17-3029, Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other, is $78,350 per year. The middle half of the NDT Technician in National wage distribution runs from $60,390 to $99,310, a width of $38,920 per year; that spread shows how much published pay varies within the occupation and area, without assigning experience levels.
For the national NDT Technician comparison, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX reports $76,120 per year while Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA reports $69,890 per year; these are the largest-employment metros with published medians for the occupation, rather than neighboring places to a national estimate. The United States NDT Technician figure pools markets with different work scopes and schedules, so use the area table before setting a local offer.
The highest published medians among the selected national industry rows for Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other, read alongside NDT Technician in National, are Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing at $110,930 per year (NAICS 324000); Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing at $110,930 per year (NAICS 324100); Natural Gas Distribution at $109,260 per year (NAICS 221200). Those NDT Technician in National industry comparisons are national cross-sections, not local industry estimates; BLS does not give us a metro-by-industry wage cut here, and overlapping industry groups should not be added together.
The NDT Technician in National median was $77,390 per year in May 2024, compared with $78,350 in May 2025, a published difference of $960. That NDT Technician in National comparison is between separate BLS releases, not the raise paid to the same workers or a projection of next year's offer. Read the $77,390 and $78,350 NDT Technician in National estimates with both dates visible, because the employers and workers represented by the survey can change.
Before offering $78,350 per year for NDT Technician in National, separate on-call duties, overtime, travel reimbursement, tool replacement and any truck allowance separately; prevailing wage and union requirements must be checked against the actual assignment. The NDT Technician in National BLS comparison includes ordinary wages and qualifying incentive pay, but leaves overtime, discretionary bonuses, benefits and relocation outside this wage figure. A candidate's take-home pay and the employer's total cost for NDT Technician in National can therefore differ from the median without either number being an error.
The mapping for NDT Technician in National is proxy: Closest proxy: Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other; This published occupation covers only part of NDT Technician; do not treat it as a quoted range for the complete role. When calibrating a NDT Technician in National opening, the work checks include ASNT SNT-TC-1A Level II in the methods needed; industrial radiographer card for RT; ask for evidence of that scope instead of using a percentile as a substitute for qualification. A broader occupation can combine jobs that a NDT Technician in National buyer would screen separately, which is why the badge and SOC remain beside the figures.
Questions about this occupation and area
What does the middle-half band tell a NDT Technician in National buyer?
NDT Technician in National has a published middle-half band of $60,390 to $99,310, a width of $38,920 per year, with median $78,350. An offer inside that NDT Technician in National band is not automatically competitive for every scope; match the required work and the separate pay terms first.
Which areas should I compare before hiring NDT Technician in National?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA are the largest-employment comparison markets used for NDT Technician in National. Comparing those Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other tables with the $78,350 NDT Technician in National median does not measure commuting costs or predict what a particular applicant will accept.
Are the industry figures local to NDT Technician in National?
NDT Technician in National uses national industry rows for SOC 17-3029, not local sector-specific wages. Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing leads the selected sortable rows at $110,930 per year, but that national industry figure is not a quoted offer for NDT Technician in National.
What changed between the releases for NDT Technician in National?
NDT Technician in National moved from $77,390 in May 2024 to $78,350 in May 2025. These NDT Technician in National published medians do not describe an individual raise or establish a future wage trend.
What changed since May 2024
SOC 17-3029. Published annual median: $77,390 (May 2024) and $78,350 (May 2025). These are two BLS releases, not a projection.