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.
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 Jose, CA | $129,750 | $90,426 | $81,891 | 860 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $125,130 | $87,758 | $75,907 | 2,380 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $102,830 | $81,171 | $73,039 | 1,640 |
| 4 | Hartford, CT | $99,620 | $75,009 | $73,004 | 750 |
| 5 | Sacramento, CA | $103,980 | $75,188 | $70,486 | 1,060 |
| 6 | Minneapolis, MN | $94,420 | $70,357 | $67,121 | 940 |
| 7 | Austin, TX | $77,730 | $63,513 | $64,766 | 1,430 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $76,930 | $61,617 | $64,541 | 870 |
| 9 | San Diego, CA | $98,580 | $71,961 | $64,316 | 1,330 |
| 10 | Cincinnati, OH | $76,440 | $61,286 | $64,261 | 630 |
| 11 | Los Angeles, CA | $100,280 | $72,977 | $64,259 | 3,870 |
| 12 | Cleveland, OH | $74,960 | $60,285 | $64,186 | 720 |
| 13 | Portland, OR | $93,340 | $67,157 | $63,704 | 1,200 |
| 14 | Baton Rouge, LA | $71,770 | $57,553 | $63,399 | 500 |
| 15 | Riverside, CA | $89,950 | $66,805 | $62,762 | 1,160 |
| 16 | Milwaukee, WI | $77,220 | $60,442 | $62,352 | 470 |
| 17 | Buffalo, NY | $77,040 | $59,464 | $62,043 | 590 |
| 18 | Trenton, NJ | $82,660 | $63,906 | $61,936 | 660 |
| 19 | Providence, RI | $80,100 | $62,793 | $61,700 | 510 |
| 20 | Rochester, NY | $77,340 | $59,659 | $61,482 | 690 |
| 21 | Charlotte, NC | $75,570 | $59,487 | $61,108 | 1,760 |
| 22 | Chicago, IL | $82,640 | $63,021 | $60,834 | 1,840 |
| 23 | New York, NY | $90,800 | $68,391 | $60,758 | 10,340 |
| 24 | Worcester, MA | $80,650 | $61,755 | $60,235 | 540 |
| 25 | Denver, CO | $82,020 | $63,631 | $60,153 | 2,300 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- San Jose, CA — $129,750
- San Francisco, CA — $125,130
- Sacramento, CA — $103,980
- Seattle, WA — $102,830
- Los Angeles, CA — $100,280
- Hartford, CT — $99,620
- San Diego, CA — $98,580
- Minneapolis, MN — $94,420
- Portland, OR — $93,340
- New York, NY — $90,800
- Riverside, CA — $89,950
- Urban Honolulu, HI — $84,910
- Boston, MA — $84,620
- Trenton, NJ — $82,660
- Chicago, IL — $82,640
Construction and Building Inspector salary by state
| State | Median | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $102,410 | $80,875 | $73,550 – $124,840 | 270 |
| California | $101,290 | $73,580 | $56,220 – $161,550 | 13,420 |
| Connecticut | $98,670 | $74,392 | $65,140 – $129,830 | 1,430 |
| Washington | $96,140 | $76,464 | $63,840 – $121,700 | 3,090 |
| Minnesota | $88,670 | $66,703 | $61,610 – $112,420 | 1,390 |
| District of Columbia | $86,200 | $65,113 | $68,120 – $131,810 | 370 |
| Oregon | $84,510 | $61,718 | $60,970 – $115,910 | 1,780 |
| Massachusetts | $83,200 | $63,421 | $50,330 – $123,400 | 4,290 |
| New Jersey | $81,760 | $63,330 | $48,880 – $126,400 | 5,950 |
| Colorado | $79,950 | $62,265 | $54,290 – $121,740 | 3,700 |
| New York | $79,460 | $61,036 | $51,540 – $134,430 | 11,160 |
| Hawaii | $79,320 | $60,133 | $53,590 – $99,600 | 710 |
| North Dakota | $78,570 | $63,831 | $55,150 – $100,390 | 180 |
| Illinois | $78,340 | $60,209 | $47,600 – $119,650 | 2,560 |
| Rhode Island | $77,420 | $61,009 | $57,950 – $110,940 | 270 |
| Maryland | $76,640 | $59,469 | $53,610 – $110,250 | 2,780 |
| Montana | $75,700 | $59,169 | $49,840 – $100,850 | 290 |
| Virginia | $75,660 | $58,520 | $50,090 – $104,480 | 6,550 |
| Wisconsin | $75,610 | $59,395 | $47,290 – $101,240 | 1,270 |
| Nevada | $75,290 | $61,797 | $55,510 – $105,490 | 1,780 |
| Maine | $74,670 | $57,502 | $48,340 – $102,500 | 710 |
| Ohio | $74,490 | $59,968 | $50,440 – $100,290 | 3,490 |
| Utah | $74,130 | $58,611 | $48,690 – $99,630 | 1,240 |
| Arizona | $73,440 | $58,868 | $55,310 – $105,980 | 3,330 |
| Delaware | $72,700 | $56,517 | $52,350 – $95,690 | 570 |
| Iowa | $71,630 | $57,152 | $47,470 – $90,380 | 1,140 |
| Michigan | $71,040 | $56,038 | $47,100 – $95,980 | 3,090 |
| Louisiana | $68,260 | $55,189 | $47,450 – $95,400 | 1,440 |
| Florida | $68,170 | $56,788 | $45,460 – $100,280 | 13,860 |
| Vermont | $66,580 | $53,735 | $49,350 – $92,110 | 120 |
| North Carolina | $66,080 | $53,147 | $46,840 – $95,220 | 6,490 |
| Georgia | $65,980 | $52,393 | $46,070 – $100,450 | 4,510 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,870 | $53,084 | $48,610 – $93,790 | 5,320 |
| New Hampshire | $65,640 | $54,922 | $45,070 – $88,610 | 420 |
| New Mexico | $65,420 | $52,836 | $48,350 – $94,870 | 800 |
| Nebraska | $65,000 | $52,330 | $45,910 – $90,880 | 570 |
| South Dakota | $64,940 | $54,359 | $47,670 – $89,050 | 200 |
| Texas | $64,810 | $54,255 | $43,220 – $105,160 | 18,230 |
| West Virginia | $64,000 | $51,454 | $34,090 – $92,930 | 540 |
| Idaho | $63,570 | $50,998 | $48,840 – $102,000 | 1,000 |
| Kansas | $63,150 | $50,197 | $48,170 – $91,420 | 840 |
| Missouri | $62,970 | $50,754 | $46,980 – $87,690 | 1,640 |
| Indiana | $62,850 | $50,855 | $44,540 – $94,350 | 2,110 |
| Wyoming | $61,870 | $51,893 | $35,920 – $93,470 | 370 |
| Alabama | $61,300 | $48,635 | $46,010 – $85,770 | 1,420 |
| Kentucky | $60,200 | $48,561 | $37,140 – $97,670 | 1,380 |
| Tennessee | $59,870 | $50,286 | $38,670 – $84,600 | 2,500 |
| Oklahoma | $59,280 | $47,689 | $41,410 – $94,850 | 2,090 |
| South Carolina | $58,840 | $47,085 | $36,140 – $84,860 | 2,500 |
| Arkansas | $52,700 | $42,682 | $39,450 – $81,340 | 800 |
| Mississippi | $50,250 | $41,278 | $35,600 – $76,400 | 800 |
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 Jose, 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.
All 63 cities
- Albany, NY
- Atlanta, GA
- Austin, TX
- Baltimore, MD
- Baton Rouge, LA
- Boise City, ID
- Boston, MA
- Buffalo, NY
- Cape Coral, FL
- Charleston, SC
- Charlotte, NC
- Chicago, IL
- Cincinnati, OH
- Cleveland, OH
- Columbia, SC
- Columbus, OH
- Dallas, TX
- Denver, CO
- Detroit, MI
- Greensboro, NC
- Greenville, SC
- Hartford, CT
- Houston, TX
- Indianapolis, IN
- Jacksonville, FL
- Kansas City, MO
- Knoxville, TN
- Las Vegas, NV
- Los Angeles, CA
- Memphis, TN
- Miami, FL
- Milwaukee, WI
- Minneapolis, MN
- Nashville, TN
- New York, NY
- North Port, FL
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Orlando, FL
- Palm Bay, FL
- Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Portland, OR
- Providence, RI
- Raleigh, NC
- Richmond, VA
- Riverside, CA
- Rochester, NY
- Sacramento, CA
- Salt Lake City, UT
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Seattle, WA
- St. Louis, MO
- Tampa, FL
- Trenton, NJ
- Tulsa, OK
- Urban Honolulu, HI
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Washington, DC
- Worcester, MA