As of June 2026, Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers has an AI-exposure score of 64/100 (High exposure) on the AI-Safe Careers index, blending O*NET tasks, the Anthropic Economic Index, the Penn/OpenAI study, and BLS data. This is an estimate of task exposure, not a prediction of job loss.
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
More exposed than 80% of the roles we track. Median pay ~US$48,570. About 69,900 projected openings a year (BLS 2024–34 — growth plus replacement).
Pay & demand figures are US medians (BLS, in USD) — your local figures will differ. Your exposure score applies broadly.
How you compare to similar Production roles
Your tasks, by AI exposure
- Analyze test data, making computations as necessary, to determine test results.
- Check arriving materials to ensure that they match purchase orders, submitting discrepancy reports as necessary.
- Read dials or meters to verify that equipment is functioning at specified levels.
- Collect or select samples for testing or for use as models.
- Discard or reject products, materials, or equipment not meeting specifications.
- Make minor adjustments to equipment, such as turning setscrews to calibrate instruments to required tolerances.
- Record inspection or test data, such as weights, temperatures, grades, or moisture content, and quantities inspected or graded.
- Stack or arrange tested products for further processing, shipping, or packaging.
- Monitor production operations or equipment to ensure conformance to specifications, making necessary process or assembly adjustments.
- Measure dimensions of products to verify conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments, such as rulers, calipers, gauges, or micrometers.
- Inspect or test raw materials, parts, or products to determine compliance with environmental standards.
- Mark items with details, such as grade or acceptance-rejection status.
- Position products, components, or parts for testing.
- Notify supervisors or other personnel of production problems.
- Compare colors, shapes, textures, or grades of products or materials with color charts, templates, or samples to verify conformance to standards.
- Remove defects, such as chips, burrs, or lap corroded or pitted surfaces.
- Recommend necessary corrective actions, based on inspection results.
- Write test or inspection reports describing results, recommendations, or needed repairs.
- Read blueprints, data, manuals, or other materials to determine specifications, inspection and testing procedures, adjustment methods, certification processes, formulas, or measuring instruments required.
- Inspect, test, or measure materials, products, installations, or work for conformance to specifications.
No durable tasks identified for this role — its real, individually-assessed tasks consistently read as augmentable (80%).
Safer adjacent roles
Your AI-Safe Career Report
Every task scored with what to do about it · 5–10 safer roles with salary, demand & reachability · skill-gap map · a 30/60/90-day roadmap · plus a résumé & LinkedIn rewrite · PDF.
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AI was the most-cited reason for U.S. layoffs through mid-2026 — the workers who adapt earliest fare best. — Challenger, Gray & Christmas, 2026The upside: Workers with AI skills earn a roughly 62% wage premium — adapting pays. — PwC Global AI Jobs Barometer, 2026
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Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers — median pay by US state (BLS OEWS, USD)
Median annual wage, in USD. US national: US$48,570. More states are being added.