Inspects roller coasters, carnival rides and water slides to confirm they are assembled, maintained and operated safely before riders board. BLS does not publish separate figures for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers; it counts them within inspector, tester, sorter, sampler, and weigher (SOC 51-9061), whose median pay is $48,570 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 51-9061
- Production
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Amusement Ride Inspector in four numbers
- Median pay
- $48,570a year, or $23.35/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $36KTop 10% $78K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.5%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2.5%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2.5% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 66,700602,000 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025602K
- Projected 2035617.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 602K Projected 2035 617.2K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school69.8%
- Certificate26.9%
- Some college2.6%
- Associate's0.7%
Highest education held by inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers Segment Value High school 69.8% Certificate 26.9% Some college 2.6% Associate's 0.7%
Also advertised as: Ride Safety Inspector, Carnival Ride Inspector, Amusement Device Inspector, NAARSO Certified Inspector.
Pay
How much do Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers make?
Every amusement ride inspector in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$48,570
Middle half earn $39,890 to $61,440
- 10th
- $35,510
- 25th
- $39,890
- 75th
- $61,440
- 90th
- $77,860
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $35,510 |
| 25th | $39,890 |
| Median | $48,570 |
| 75th | $61,440 |
| 90th | $77,860 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $48,570
- Median hourly wage
- $23.35/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $53,450
- People employed
- 597,370
Versus all US occupations
At $48,570, Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers earn 5% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $2,410 a year.
Versus production occupations
The median is typical for the Production group, where the middle occupation pays $48,030.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $77,860 or more while the bottom 10% earn $35,510, a gap of 2.2×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 19% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Alaska pays the most at $78,150, and still leads at $76,349 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Alaska | $78,150 | $76,349 | 300 |
| 2Washington | $64,420 | $60,198 | 12,010 |
| 3Maryland | $61,790 | $58,871 | 4,600 |
| 4Hawaii | $59,740 | $54,333 | 650 |
| 5District of Columbia | $59,730 | $54,349 | 70 |
| 6Colorado | $58,350 | $56,622 | 5,220 |
| 7Montana | $58,070 | $61,356 | 580 |
| 8Wyoming | $57,900 | $62,466 | 990 |
| 9Delaware | $57,190 | $57,300 | 1,020 |
| 10Minnesota | $57,170 | $57,969 | 9,710 |
Job outlook
Is Amusement Ride Inspector a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +2.5% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | +2.5% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers to change 2.5% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 15,200 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 66,700 openings are projected each year, 11.1% of the 602,000 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an Amusement Ride Inspector
Most ride inspectors have mechanical backgrounds as ride mechanics, millwrights or maintenance technicians. The most widely recognized credential comes from the National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials, which certifies inspectors at three levels, and many states set a minimum NAARSO level for anyone who inspects rides in their jurisdiction.
Amusement Industry Manufacturers and Suppliers International offers another safety certification program. State agencies such as departments of labor or agriculture hire inspectors and provide training on their own rules and on the ASTM F24 standards for amusement rides. Continuing education at annual safety seminars is required to keep certification current.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)69.8%
- Post-Secondary Certificate26.9%
- Some College Courses2.6%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree0.7%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 69.8% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 26.9% |
| Some College Courses | 2.6% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 0.7% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Amusement Ride Inspector do?
Amusement ride inspectors check roller coasters, spinning rides, water slides, go-karts and carnival rides to make sure they are safe. They inspect structures, welds, restraints, brakes, electrical systems and operating controls, and they confirm the ride has been set up and maintained according to the manufacturer's instructions and industry standards.
State inspectors visit fixed parks and traveling carnivals, often inspecting a ride every time it is set up at a new location. Others work for insurance companies or as in-house safety staff at theme parks. Inspectors review maintenance and daily inspection logs, observe test runs, watch operators load riders, and can stop a ride from opening until defects are fixed.
Day-to-day tasks
- Inspect ride structures, track, welds and fasteners for defects
- Test restraints, brakes, sensors and emergency stops
- Review daily inspection and maintenance logs
- Verify ride setup matches manufacturer instructions
- Observe test cycles and operator procedures
- Issue permits or order rides closed until repairs are made
- Investigate ride incidents and injuries
- Write inspection reports for parks, carnivals and regulators
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Inspectors work outdoors at parks, fairs and festivals, and state inspectors travel heavily during the summer carnival season. They climb ride structures, crawl under trains and work around heavy machinery. Schedules follow the season, with long days in summer and more office and training work in winter.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Writing3.3
- Critical Thinking3.3
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Active Listening3.1
- Speaking3.1
- Monitoring3.0
- Mathematics2.6
- Active Learning2.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Writing | 3.3 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.3 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 |
| Active Listening | 3.1 |
| Speaking | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Mathematics | 2.6 |
| Active Learning | 2.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Quality Control Analysis3.8
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Operations Monitoring3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Social Perceptiveness2.9
- Coordination2.9
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
- Operation and Control2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.8 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.9 |
| Coordination | 2.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.9 |
| Operation and Control | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Content workflow software · in demand
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise application integration software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Amusement Ride Inspector?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code RCI) built on O*NET's Inspector, Tester, Sorter, Sampler, and Weigher profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Amusement Ride Inspector |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic5.8
- Conventional5.4
- Investigative3.8
- Enterprising1.4
- Artistic1.0
- Social1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Amusement Ride Inspector
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More production careers
Median annual pay, with inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers highlighted
- Power Plant Operator$102,040
- Tool and Die Maker$64,050
- Machinist$58,750
- Welder$53,750
- Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter$51,330
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator$50,690
- Amusement Ride Inspector$48,570
- Butcher and Meat Cutter$40,140
- Baker$37,160
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Power Plant Operator | $102,040 |
| Tool and Die Maker | $64,050 |
| Machinist | $58,750 |
| Welder | $53,750 |
| Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter | $51,330 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 |
| Amusement Ride Inspector | $48,570 |
| Butcher and Meat Cutter | $40,140 |
| Baker | $37,160 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Amusement Ride Inspector appears on
Questions
Amusement Ride Inspector: frequently asked questions
How much do Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers. It counts them within inspector, tester, sorter, sampler, and weigher, whose median pay is $48,570 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $39,890 and $61,440, and the top 10% earn $77,860 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Amusement Ride Inspector?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 69.8% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Amusement Ride Inspector a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 2.5% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 66,700 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Amusement Ride Inspector do?
Amusement ride inspectors check roller coasters, spinning rides, water slides, go-karts and carnival rides to make sure they are safe. A typical task: inspect ride structures, track, welds and fasteners for defects. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Content workflow software.
Which states pay Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers the most?
The highest state medians for Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers are Alaska ($78,150), Washington ($64,420), Maryland ($61,790) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Amusement Ride Inspector?
O*NET scores Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.