Non-Destructive Testing
Federal headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison for the Non-Destructive Testing occupation series (code 3705), drawn directly from the OPM FedScope dataset (June 2026).
The verdict
Non-Destructive Testing is a smaller, specialized federal occupation: 904 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce) in the Metal Processing Family family. At an average salary of $98,385 it pays below the federal average of $117,339, and headcount grew 0.3% from the prior period.
- Employees
- 904
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $98,385
- Avg tenure
- 10.1 yrs
FedScope read on Non-Destructive Testing (dense series)
As of the June 2026 reporting window, 904 people work in the Non-Destructive Testing occupation (OPM code 3705) across federal agencies, 0.0% of the 1,953,300-strong federal civilian workforce. Headcount moved up by 0.3% from the prior period, a modest but trackable signal for anyone considering this specialized federal career path.
Non-Destructive Testing pays $98,385 per year on average, moving down 0.0% from the prior period (a small shift, within the range of normal year-to-year rounding rather than a broad pay-table change). Employees in this role stay an average of 10.1 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career.
The Metal Processing Family family (code 37) groups Non-Destructive Testing together with 8 other related occupations across the federal government. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Non-Destructive Testing postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Metal Processing Family family.
Inside the Metal Processing Family family (9 occupations, 3,792 employees combined), Non-Destructive Testing holds the #2 spot by headcount, a 23.8% share of the family total. Its average salary ranks in the top half (80th percentile) of pay among Metal Processing Family occupations.
Salary Context
How Non-Destructive Testing pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$98,385
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-16.2%
Where Non-Destructive Testing ranks on federal pay
Its average salary of $98,385 is higher than 53% of federal occupation series (286 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Non-Destructive Testing sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Non-Destructive Testing ranks higher than 53%.
Related Occupations in Metal Processing Family
8 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welding | 2,325 | $87,563 | 11.4 yrs |
| Electroplating | 272 | n/a | 10.7 yrs |
| Miscellaneous Metal Processing | 102 | n/a | 12.4 yrs |
| Metalizing | 70 | n/a | 14.8 yrs |
| Shot Peening Machine Operating | 54 | n/a | 16.9 yrs |
| Heat Treating | 46 | $79,709 | 16.9 yrs |
| Battery Repairing | 13 | $72,252 | 19.5 yrs |
| Buffing and Polishing | 6 | $84,749 | 16.4 yrs |
Nationwide peers near this dense headcount
Two peer sets for Non-Destructive Testing outside the Metal Processing Family family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar dense headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (904 here).
Similar average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($98,385 here).
Key takeaways
- Non-Destructive Testing pays below the federal average by 16.2% ($98,385 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 53rd percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 904 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount grew 0.3% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Non-Destructive Testing ranks #221 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Inside the Metal Processing Family family (9 occupations, 3,792 employees combined), Non-Destructive Testing holds the #2 spot by headcount, a 23.8% share of the family total.
OPM FedScope and Federal Workforce Data figures are federal civilian headcounts, average salaries, and length-of-service statistics - not job-quality scores, hiring advice, or a live vacancy listing. A larger or higher-paid agency is not a better employer.