NDT Level II technician pay (BLS and posted salaries)

Use the BLS figure for the big picture, then compare postings that match your method, certification route and location.

What the BLS benchmark measures

O*NET identifies Non-Destructive Testing Specialists as 17-3029.01. Its occupation summary explicitly says the displayed wages are for the broader occupation Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other, SOC 17-3029. Those wages do not isolate Level II technicians, a particular NDT method or a certification program.

The series used here is BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 national estimates, all industries, SOC 17-3029, released 15 May 2026 and retrieved 17 Oct 2026. The BLS release table reports:

• Hourly median: $37.67.
• Hourly mean: $38.93.
• Annual mean: $80,960.

The median describes the middle of the wage distribution; the mean is the average. Do not label the annual mean as a Level II median salary. BLS's OEWS FAQs explain that annual estimates generally use 2,080 hours and that reported wages exclude overtime pay, shift differentials and on-call pay. These are gross wage estimates, rather than take-home income or a complete benefits package.

Posted Level II pay ranges

Three postings from 17 Oct 2026. The ranges are the employers' own advertised pay.

• Enfield, Connecticut: the ASNT-hosted NDT Level II Technician posting, whose company overview identifies Element, advertises $25–$35 an hour, depending on experience. It describes aerospace inspection work including penetrant and magnetic particle methods.
• Rancho Dominguez, California: the ASNT-hosted UT Technician Level II posting advertises $26–$34 an hour, depending on experience and shift.
• Hawthorne, California: SpaceX's NDE Level II Inspector posting lists Grade 1 at $25–$35 an hour, Grade 2 at $30–$40, Grade 3 at $35–$45, Grade 4 at $43–$54, and Grade 5 at $50–$60. These are the employer's pay grades within a Level II role, not NDT certification levels.

How pay steps from Level I to Level II to Level III

No public wage series splits NDT pay by certification level. BLS reports one occupation group, so any Level I, II and III dollar figures you see are an employer's or a recruiter's own. What the public sources do show is how the work changes at each step:

• Level I performs tests under direction, following written instructions.
• Level II sets up, calibrates, performs, interprets and reports to a procedure. Most postings ask for this level, which is why the postings above name it in the title.
• Level III is the senior tier. Check your employer's written practice or ASNT's program pages for what it involves. See Level I vs Level II vs Level III.

Inside Level II, the SpaceX grades above show that one employer can pay a $25 to $60 range for Level II roles. Expect your own step to depend on the methods you hold, your hours in each and the sector. NDT Level 2 jobs: who hires and what postings ask for shows the same path from the hiring side.

How method and travel change the take-home

The posted ranges above do not show a clean gap between UT, MT and PT, and we do not claim one. What does move the number you take home:

• Methods held. Each added method, such as UT alongside MT and PT, widens the postings you qualify for. Each needs its own training, experience and exams, so compare the exam fees in the requirements guide with the postings you want.
• Overtime and shift premiums. BLS wage estimates exclude both, so a posting that pays a base rate plus overtime can beat a higher base rate with no overtime.
• Travel and per diem. Field and service work often involves travel. Ask whether per diem or travel pay is in the advertised range, who pays for lodging and vehicle, and how many days a month you would be away. The technician day-to-day article covers shop and field work.

BLS hourly wages by state

The same BLS OEWS release (May 2025, SOC 17-3029, all industries), retrieved 27 Oct 2026 through the BLS public data API. These cover the broader occupation, not Level II alone, and BLS states that wages exclude overtime and shift pay. States shown are a sample, chosen for where posted Level II work is common.

State figures are estimates from a sample, so treat small gaps as noise. Find your state on the BLS OEWS tables.

Compare the work behind the rate

Compare offers line by line: base pay, scheduled hours, overtime, travel reimbursement, paid leave and benefits. Ask whether a shift premium is included in the advertised rate.

Check which methods you would use, who provides equipment and who pays for required exams. Each added method and certification widens the postings you qualify for.

For certification planning, see the requirements guide and the UT General guide.

FAQ

What is the average NDT Level 2 salary?

BLS does not publish a Level II figure. For the broader occupation that includes NDT specialists, the May 2025 national hourly median is $37.67 and the annual mean is $80,960. The three Level II postings above range from $25 to $60 an hour depending on employer, grade and experience.

How much does a UT Level 2 technician make?

The UT Level II posting we reviewed, in Rancho Dominguez, California, advertises $26 to $34 an hour depending on experience and shift. BLS has no UT-only figure. The broader occupation that includes NDT specialists has a national median of $37.67 an hour, and BLS figures leave out overtime and shift pay, so compare those separately.

Is there an NDT Level 2 pay scale?

No public source we found sets one scale for the industry, so each employer sets its own. SpaceX's NDE Level II posting lists five grades, from $25 to $35 an hour at Grade 1 up to $50 to $60 at Grade 5. Those are pay grades inside one Level II role, not certification levels. Ask each employer for its grade table and what moves you up a grade.

Does NDT Level 2 pay more with UT than MT or PT?

We found no public data that ranks the methods. The postings we reviewed cover UT, MT and PT at similar hourly ranges. Check postings for the method you plan to certify in, and compare offers on overtime, travel and benefits as well as base pay.

What does Level 2 pay compared with Level 1?

No public wage series separates the levels. Postings usually name Level II because it is the level that interprets results and reports to a procedure. Read the postings for both levels in your area and compare the stated ranges.

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Sources

Show the list

• Non-Destructive Testing Specialists, 17-3029.01, ONET OnLine, National Center for ONET Development, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
• Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2025, national table, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, released 15 May 2026.
• Occupational Employment and Wages release summary, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, released 15 May 2026.
• OEWS Frequently Asked Questions, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
• BLS Public Data API, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: OEWS state series for SOC 17-3029, May 2025, retrieved 27 Oct 2026.