Construction and Building Inspectors Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for construction and building inspectors in the U.S. is $74,690 ($35.91 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $74,690
- Mean annual wage
- $77,730
- Median hourly wage
- $35.91
- Employment
- 146,720
146,720 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,140 | $22.66 |
| 25th percentile | $58,860 | $28.30 |
| Median (50th) | $74,690 | $35.91 |
| 75th percentile | $94,710 | $45.54 |
| 90th percentile | $114,200 | $54.91 |
Highest-paying states for construction and building inspectors
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $102,410 | 270 |
| California | $101,290 | 13,420 |
| Connecticut | $98,670 | 1,430 |
| Washington | $96,140 | 3,090 |
| Minnesota | $88,670 | 1,390 |
| District of Columbia | $86,200 | 370 |
| Oregon | $84,510 | 1,780 |
| Massachusetts | $83,200 | 4,290 |
| New Jersey | $81,760 | 5,950 |
| Colorado | $79,950 | 3,700 |
Lowest-paying states
- Mississippi: $50,250 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $52,700 median annual wage
- South Carolina: $58,840 median annual wage
- Oklahoma: $59,280 median annual wage
- Tennessee: $59,870 median annual wage
About this occupation
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 tasks
- Review and interpret plans, blueprints, site layouts, specifications, or construction methods to ensure compliance to legal requirements and safety regulations.
- Monitor construction activities to ensure that environmental regulations are not violated.
- Measure dimensions and verify level, alignment, or elevation of structures or fixtures to ensure compliance to building plans and codes.
- Examine lifting or conveying devices, such as elevators, escalators, moving sidewalks, hoists, inclined railways, ski lifts, or amusement rides to ensure safety and proper functioning.
- Train, direct, or supervise other construction inspectors.
- Issue permits for construction, relocation, demolition, or occupancy.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 3.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 26.3% |
| Some college, no degree | 29.5% |
| Associate's degree | 12.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 21.9% |
| Master's degree | 5.2% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 1.0% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Construction Laborers$47,120
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$79,920
- Electricians$63,190
- Carpenters$60,580
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$59,850
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$63,800
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance$49,400
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$57,020
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.