Construction and Building Inspector Salary in Chicago, IL
Construction and Building Inspectors in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $82,640 a year — 11% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $63,021 take-home, or $5,252 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median construction and building inspector salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$9,351
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,124
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,198
- Illinois income tax$3,946
- Take-home pay$63,021
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.95% state
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro spans Illinois, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Construction and Building Inspector pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $48,310 | $23.23 | $38,751 | $3,229 |
| 25th percentile | $62,040 | $29.83 | $49,103 | $4,092 |
| Median (50th) | $82,640 | $39.73 | $63,021 | $5,252 |
| 75th percentile | $105,130 | $50.54 | $77,730 | $6,477 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $127,210 | $61.16 | $92,062 | $7,672 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $82,640 buys in Chicago, IL
Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median construction and building inspector's $63,021 take-home pay has the buying power of $60,834 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Construction and Building Inspector jobs are less concentrated in Chicago, IL than nationally (location quotient 0.43), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for construction and building inspectors, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #22 of 63 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $129,750 | $90,426 | $81,891 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $125,130 | $87,758 | $75,907 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $102,830 | $81,171 | $73,039 |
| 4 | Hartford, CT | $99,620 | $75,009 | $73,004 |
| 5 | Sacramento, CA | $103,980 | $75,188 | $70,486 |
| 6 | Minneapolis, MN | $94,420 | $70,357 | $67,121 |
| 7 | Austin, TX | $77,730 | $63,513 | $64,766 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $76,930 | $61,617 | $64,541 |
| 22 | Chicago, IL | $82,640 | $63,021 | $60,834 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 63 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a construction and building inspector make in Chicago, IL?
The median construction and building inspector salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $82,640 a year, or about $39.73 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $62,040 and $105,130.
What is a construction and building inspector’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $82,640 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $63,021 a year ($5,252 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,946 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a construction and building inspector?
Pay here is 11% above the national median of $74,690. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $60,834 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #22 of 63 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a construction and building inspector afford rent in Chicago, IL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Chicago, IL is $1,534 a month ($1,743 for two bedrooms) — 29% of a median construction and building inspector’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Chicago, IL
- Elevator and Escalator Installer and Repairer — $146,580
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $111,260
- Insulation Workers, Mechanical — $103,690
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $103,380
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator — $103,100
- Electrician — $102,350
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker — $102,350
- Sheet Metal Worker — $95,310
- Brickmason and Blockmason — $89,980
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining — $87,060
- Roofer — $82,090
- Cement Mason and Concrete Finisher — $81,020