The November 2000 issue of "Quality Progress" magazine from ASQ details an extensive salary survey done on Management/Inspector/Technician related jobs. They don't specifically identify the job description of CWI/SCWI or NDE Technician, but here's a sample of what they posted:
Average full-time Technician's salary in the U.S.- $35,700
"""""""""""""""""""""" Inspector's """"""""""""""""""""" - $37,795
"""""""""""""""""""""" Co-ordinator """""""""""""""""""" - $43,098
"""""""""""""""""""""" Analyst """"""""""""""""""""" - $49,616
"""""""""""""""""""""" Supervisor """"""""""""""""""""" - $50,982
"""""""""""""""""""""" Auditor """"""""""""""""""""" - $51,263
"""""""""""""""""""""" Specialist """"""""""""""""""""" - $51,563
""""""""""""""""""""" Quality Engineer """"""""""""""" - $55,048
""""""""""""""""""""" Product Engineer """""""""""""' - $56,801
""""""""""""""""""""" Software Quality Engineer""" - $61,592
""""""""""""""""""""" Manager """"""""""""""""""" - $63,700
""""""""""""""""""""" Reliability Engineer """"""""""" - $69,541
""""""""""""""""""""" Consultant """"""""""""""""""""" - $73,409
""""""""""""""""""""" Director """""""""""""""""" - $82,345
""""""""""""""""""""" Vice President """""""""""""""" - $107,434
The results go on to show fluxuations due to expierience, education, industry, certification, company size etc..etc..
ASQ web address is www.asq.org
I'm a CWI working on the road where you per diem pays much better. It also matters what company you work for also. You really need to shop around. I've been averging the high 90's for the past three years. You have to get out and shop for the best jobs.
Tim:
I don't believe the information you gave from Quality Progress is appropriate for this discussion. Quality Progress is a publication of the American Society for Quality. They do not recoginize the CWI certification. They only recognize their own certifications which have nothing to do with the metals industry. Unfortuneately, they don't seam to know we exist ( I am a member of ASQ ). Their focus is more on total quality management systems in various industries.
I do wish that AWS, as a service to it's members would do a salary survey. This would be most helpful for those starting out and those who are making career moves.