Construction and Building Inspector Salary
Construction and Building Inspectors earn a median $74,690 a year nationally. Construction and Extraction Occupations
U.S. median
$74,690
$35.91 per hour
Range
$47,140 – $114,200
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
146,720
across the U.S.
▲3.6%
Pay trend: The median for construction and building inspectors in the U.S. rose from $72,120 (May 2024) to $74,690 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 1.2%.
What construction and building inspectors do
Inspect structures using engineering skills to determine structural soundness and compliance with specifications, building codes, and other regulations. Inspections may be general in nature or may be limited to a specific area, such as electrical systems or plumbing.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- 5 years or more
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- 0.0% (slower than average)
- Openings per year
- 14,800
- Self-employed
- 3%
Employment of construction and building inspectors is projected to grow 0.0% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 14,800 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Construction and Building Inspector take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$61,374
per year · effective tax rate 17.8%
$5,115Monthly
$2,557Twice a month
$2,361Every 2 weeks
$29.51Hourly
- Federal income tax$7,602
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,631
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,083
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$61,374
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $47,140 | $22.66 | $40,057 |
| 25th percentile | $58,860 | $28.30 | $49,474 |
| Median (50th) | $74,690 | $35.91 | $61,374 |
| 75th percentile | $94,710 | $45.53 | $75,458 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $114,200 | $54.90 | $89,170 |
Best cities for construction and building inspectors (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $125,130 | $87,758 | $75,907 | 2,380 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | $100,280 | $72,977 | $64,259 | 3,870 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $90,800 | $68,391 | $60,758 | 10,340 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $84,620 | $64,349 | $59,436 | 2,950 |
| 5 | Phoenix, AZ | $76,650 | $61,046 | $59,086 | 2,460 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $75,710 | $59,768 | $58,279 | 2,900 |
| 7 | Atlanta, GA | $72,410 | $56,635 | $56,602 | 3,020 |
| 8 | Houston, TX | $66,780 | $55,810 | $56,586 | 4,980 |
| 9 | Washington, DC | $80,150 | $61,371 | $56,364 | 4,060 |
| 10 | Dallas, TX | $69,020 | $57,386 | $55,666 | 5,450 |
| 11 | Miami, FL | $76,610 | $62,725 | $54,947 | 4,380 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- San Francisco, CA — $125,130
- Los Angeles, CA — $100,280
- New York, NY — $90,800
- Boston, MA — $84,620
- Washington, DC — $80,150
- Phoenix, AZ — $76,650
- Miami, FL — $76,610
- Philadelphia, PA — $75,710
- Atlanta, GA — $72,410
- Dallas, TX — $69,020
- Houston, TX — $66,780
Construction and Building Inspector salary by state
| State | Median | 1-yr change | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $102,410 | +8.9% | $80,875 | $73,550 – $124,840 | 270 |
| California | $101,290 | +0.1% | $73,580 | $56,220 – $161,550 | 13,420 |
| Connecticut | $98,670 | +13.0% | $74,392 | $65,140 – $129,830 | 1,430 |
| Washington | $96,140 | +7.6% | $76,464 | $63,840 – $121,700 | 3,090 |
| Minnesota | $88,670 | +5.7% | $66,703 | $61,610 – $112,420 | 1,390 |
| District of Columbia | $86,200 | −5.9% | $65,113 | $68,120 – $131,810 | 370 |
| Oregon | $84,510 | +2.8% | $61,718 | $60,970 – $115,910 | 1,780 |
| Massachusetts | $83,200 | +5.0% | $63,421 | $50,330 – $123,400 | 4,290 |
| New Jersey | $81,760 | −0.5% | $63,330 | $48,880 – $126,400 | 5,950 |
| Colorado | $79,950 | +1.3% | $62,265 | $54,290 – $121,740 | 3,700 |
| New York | $79,460 | +1.1% | $61,036 | $51,540 – $134,430 | 11,160 |
| Hawaii | $79,320 | +14.0% | $60,133 | $53,590 – $99,600 | 710 |
| North Dakota | $78,570 | +4.8% | $63,831 | $55,150 – $100,390 | 180 |
| Illinois | $78,340 | +7.2% | $60,209 | $47,600 – $119,650 | 2,560 |
| Rhode Island | $77,420 | +6.4% | $61,009 | $57,950 – $110,940 | 270 |
| Maryland | $76,640 | +6.5% | $59,469 | $53,610 – $110,250 | 2,780 |
| Montana | $75,700 | +25.1% | $59,169 | $49,840 – $100,850 | 290 |
| Virginia | $75,660 | +8.1% | $58,520 | $50,090 – $104,480 | 6,550 |
| Wisconsin | $75,610 | +6.9% | $59,395 | $47,290 – $101,240 | 1,270 |
| Nevada | $75,290 | −1.7% | $61,797 | $55,510 – $105,490 | 1,780 |
| Maine | $74,670 | +13.7% | $57,502 | $48,340 – $102,500 | 710 |
| Ohio | $74,490 | +5.1% | $59,968 | $50,440 – $100,290 | 3,490 |
| Utah | $74,130 | +4.3% | $58,611 | $48,690 – $99,630 | 1,240 |
| Arizona | $73,440 | +0.5% | $58,868 | $55,310 – $105,980 | 3,330 |
| Delaware | $72,700 | +11.9% | $56,517 | $52,350 – $95,690 | 570 |
| Iowa | $71,630 | +12.2% | $57,152 | $47,470 – $90,380 | 1,140 |
| Michigan | $71,040 | +1.6% | $56,038 | $47,100 – $95,980 | 3,090 |
| Louisiana | $68,260 | −1.3% | $55,189 | $47,450 – $95,400 | 1,440 |
| Florida | $68,170 | +4.3% | $56,788 | $45,460 – $100,280 | 13,860 |
| Vermont | $66,580 | +0.7% | $53,735 | $49,350 – $92,110 | 120 |
| North Carolina | $66,080 | +0.4% | $53,147 | $46,840 – $95,220 | 6,490 |
| Georgia | $65,980 | +2.6% | $52,393 | $46,070 – $100,450 | 4,510 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,870 | +4.3% | $53,084 | $48,610 – $93,790 | 5,320 |
| New Hampshire | $65,640 | −1.7% | $54,922 | $45,070 – $88,610 | 420 |
| New Mexico | $65,420 | +4.7% | $52,836 | $48,350 – $94,870 | 800 |
| Nebraska | $65,000 | −8.1% | $52,330 | $45,910 – $90,880 | 570 |
| South Dakota | $64,940 | +2.6% | $54,359 | $47,670 – $89,050 | 200 |
| Texas | $64,810 | +4.3% | $54,255 | $43,220 – $105,160 | 18,230 |
| West Virginia | $64,000 | +11.8% | $51,454 | $34,090 – $92,930 | 540 |
| Idaho | $63,570 | −3.3% | $50,998 | $48,840 – $102,000 | 1,000 |
| Kansas | $63,150 | +2.1% | $50,197 | $48,170 – $91,420 | 840 |
| Missouri | $62,970 | +1.2% | $50,754 | $46,980 – $87,690 | 1,640 |
| Indiana | $62,850 | −1.4% | $50,855 | $44,540 – $94,350 | 2,110 |
| Wyoming | $61,870 | +2.6% | $51,893 | $35,920 – $93,470 | 370 |
| Alabama | $61,300 | −0.3% | $48,635 | $46,010 – $85,770 | 1,420 |
| Kentucky | $60,200 | −5.6% | $48,561 | $37,140 – $97,670 | 1,380 |
| Tennessee | $59,870 | +0.0% | $50,286 | $38,670 – $84,600 | 2,500 |
| Oklahoma | $59,280 | +0.8% | $47,689 | $41,410 – $94,850 | 2,090 |
| South Carolina | $58,840 | −2.0% | $47,085 | $36,140 – $84,860 | 2,500 |
| Arkansas | $52,700 | −0.5% | $42,682 | $39,450 – $81,340 | 800 |
| Mississippi | $50,250 | +1.0% | $41,278 | $35,600 – $76,400 | 800 |
Related jobs
| Job | Median salary | Education | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator | $70,070 | High school diploma or equivalent | +1.5% |
| Highway Maintenance Worker | $50,260 | High school diploma or equivalent | +3.4% |
| Miscellaneous Construction and Related Worker | $49,910 | High school diploma or equivalent | +3.9% |
| Septic Tank Servicer and Sewer Pipe Cleaner | $49,880 | High school diploma or equivalent | +7.8% |
| Hazardous Materials Removal Worker | $49,450 | High school diploma or equivalent | +1.5% |
| Fence Erector | $47,980 | No formal educational credential | +5.6% |
| Elevator and Escalator Installer and Repairer | $109,910 | High school diploma or equivalent | +5.7% |
| Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining | $74,500 | No formal educational credential | -15.8% |
| Pile Driver Operator | $73,300 | High school diploma or equivalent | -5.7% |
| Terrazzo Worker and Finisher | $76,170 | High school diploma or equivalent | -13.0% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a construction and building inspector make?
The national median salary for construction and building inspectors is $74,690 a year ($35.91 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $47,140 and the top 10% earn over $114,200. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays construction and building inspectors the most?
Alaska has the highest median pay at $102,410. After taxes and local prices, San Francisco, CA offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many construction and building inspectors are there in the U.S.?
About 146,720 people work as construction and building inspectors nationwide.