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How Much Does a Construction and Building Inspector Make?

A construction and building inspector in the US earns a median salary of $74,690 a year, or $35.91 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $77,730, and the middle half earn between $58,860 and $94,710.

Median a year $74,690
Median an hour $35.91
Median a month $6,224
Average a year $77,730

Construction and building inspector pay range

What construction and building inspectors earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $47,140 $22.66
25th $58,860 $28.30
Median (50th) $74,690 $35.91
75th $94,710 $45.54
90th (top 10%) $114,200 $54.91

The median is 47% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 146,720 people work as construction and building inspectors in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,436
Every two weeks
$2,873
Twice a month
$3,112
A month
$6,224

At the median salary, before tax.

Construction and building inspector salary by state

Sorted by average pay. California pays construction and building inspectors the most, at $103,850 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
California $103,850 $101,290 13,420 After tax
Alaska $102,330 $102,410 270 After tax
Connecticut $97,580 $98,670 1,430 After tax
Washington $93,070 $96,140 3,090 After tax
District of Columbia $93,030 $86,200 370 After tax
Minnesota $90,440 $88,670 1,390 After tax
Oregon $87,080 $84,510 1,780 After tax
Massachusetts $86,940 $83,200 4,290 After tax
New York $86,600 $79,460 11,160 After tax
New Jersey $86,370 $81,760 5,950 After tax
Colorado $83,300 $79,950 3,700 After tax
Rhode Island $80,850 $77,420 270 After tax
Illinois $80,320 $78,340 2,560 After tax
Hawaii $79,900 $79,320 710 After tax
Maryland $79,670 $76,640 2,780 After tax
North Dakota $78,490 $78,570 180 After tax
Arizona $78,380 $73,440 3,330 After tax
Nevada $78,320 $75,290 1,780 After tax
Virginia $76,220 $75,660 6,550 After tax
Wisconsin $75,490 $75,610 1,270 After tax
Montana $75,210 $75,700 290 After tax
Maine $75,140 $74,670 710 After tax
Ohio $74,770 $74,490 3,490 After tax
Utah $73,580 $74,130 1,240 After tax
Delaware $72,940 $72,700 570 After tax
Michigan $71,550 $71,040 3,090 After tax
Idaho $71,410 $63,570 1,000 After tax
Florida $71,350 $68,170 13,860 After tax
Louisiana $71,070 $68,260 1,440 After tax
Iowa $71,050 $71,630 1,140 After tax
Georgia $70,960 $65,980 4,510 After tax
Vermont $70,850 $66,580 120 After tax
New Mexico $70,180 $65,420 800 After tax
Texas $69,810 $64,810 18,230 After tax
Pennsylvania $69,540 $65,870 5,320 After tax
North Carolina $69,070 $66,080 6,490 After tax
New Hampshire $68,820 $65,640 420 After tax
Kansas $68,210 $63,150 840 After tax
West Virginia $68,180 $64,000 540 After tax
Indiana $67,530 $62,850 2,110 After tax
South Dakota $67,260 $64,940 200 After tax
Nebraska $67,100 $65,000 570 After tax
Kentucky $66,580 $60,200 1,380 After tax
Missouri $65,140 $62,970 1,640 After tax
Alabama $64,130 $61,300 1,420 After tax
Oklahoma $63,610 $59,280 2,090 After tax
Wyoming $61,510 $61,870 370 After tax
Tennessee $61,410 $59,870 2,500 After tax
South Carolina $60,040 $58,840 2,500 After tax
Arkansas $57,710 $52,700 800 After tax
Guam $56,740 $51,710 40
Mississippi $55,760 $50,250 800 After tax
Puerto Rico $48,900 $44,320 740

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other construction and extraction jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Construction and Building Inspectors” (SOC 47-4011). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a construction and building inspector make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a construction and building inspector is $35.91, and the average is $37.37. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $22.66 an hour and the top 10% over $54.91.

How much does a construction and building inspector make a month?

At the median salary of $74,690, a construction and building inspector earns about $6,224 a month before tax, or $2,873 every two weeks.

Which state pays construction and building inspectors the most?

California has the highest average pay for a construction and building inspector, at $103,850 a year. Next are Alaska and Connecticut. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a construction and building inspector?

The lowest-paid 10% of construction and building inspectors earn less than $47,140 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $58,860. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid construction and building inspectors make?

The top 10% earn more than $114,200 a year, and the top 25% more than $94,710.