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NDT Engineer Salary in the United States

How much does a NDT Engineer make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a NDT Engineer in the United States is $143,989 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $69.

However, a NDT Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $160,104
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $133,535 to $152,424
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $124,017
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence NDT Engineer Salaries

A NDT Engineer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects NDT Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a NDT Engineer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $108,907
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $131,446
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $143,369
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $103,079
  • Expert (over 8 years): $122,969
Levels Salary
Test Engi... Level NDT Engineer$108,907
Test Engi... Level NDT Engineer$131,446
NDT Engin... Level NDT Engineer$143,369
Test Engi... Level NDT Engineer$103,079
Test Engi... Level NDT Engineer$122,969
View as Graph

How Do NDT Engineer Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract NDT Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $159,425.
  • California: $158,820.
  • Massachusetts: $156,703.

Top Paying Cities for NDT Engineers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $181,613
  • San Francisco: $179,625
  • Oakland: $175,839

What Skills Can Increase a NDT Engineer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 9.76% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Computer Science (Mentioned in 2.67% Job Postings): Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to practical disciplines.
  • Software Development (Mentioned in 1.79% Job Postings): Software development is the process of conceiving, specifying, designing, programming, documenting, testing, and bug fixing involved in creating and maintaining applications, frameworks, or other software components. Software development is a process of writing and maintaining the source code, but in a broader sense, it includes all that is involved between the conception of the desired software through to the final manifestation of the software, sometimes in a planned and structured process. Therefore, software development may include research, new development, prototyping, modification, reuse, re-engineering, maintenance, or any other activities that result in software products. Software can be developed for a variety of purposes, the three most common being to meet specific needs of a specific client/business (the case with custom software), to meet a perceived need of some set of potential users (the case with commercial and open source software), or for personal use (e.g. a scientist may write software to automate a mundane task). Embedded software development, that is, the development of embedded software, such as used for controlling consumer products, requires the development process to be integrated with the development of the controlled physical product. System software underlies applications and the programming process itself, and is often developed separately.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 9.76%
Computer Science 2.67%
Software Development 1.79%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a NDT Engineer's salary.

  • Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
  • Decision Making: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Data Acquisition: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Insight $158,388
10%
Decision Making $152,628
6%
Data Acquisition $152,628
6%
Get Latest Data

NDT Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For NDT Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, NDT Engineer positions in Transportation or Telecom typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view NDT Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a NDT Engineer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$172,787$83.020%
Biotechnology$172,787$83.020%
Chemicals$172,787$83.020%
Energy & Utilities$172,787$83.020%
Financial Services$172,787$83.020%

How Education impacts a NDT Engineer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many NDT Engineers enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a NDT Engineer with a Associate's Degree is between $145,755 and $151,669).

NDT Engineer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for NDT Engineer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 2.3%
High School 2.3%
Associates 7.6%
Bachelors 52.3%
Masters 32.6%
Doctorate 5.3%
View as Graph

NDT Engineer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a NDT Engineer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$133,535
Average $143,989/year
$152,424
$11,128
Average $11,999/month
$12,702
$2,568
Average $2,769/week
$2,931
$64
Average $69/hour
$73
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $152,424 $12,702 $2,931 $73
Average $143,989 $11,999 $2,769 $69
25th Percentile $133,535 $11,128 $2,568 $64

Most common benefits for NDT Engineer

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for NDT Engineer

Here are companies hiring for NDT Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about NDT Engineer

1. What industry pays the highest salary for NDT Engineer?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for NDT Engineer roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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