Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$47,140
- 25th Percentile — Junior$58,860
- 50th Percentile — Median$74,690
- 75th Percentile — Senior$94,710
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$114,200
The top 10% of Construction and Building Inspectors earn $114,200 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $47,140, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| California | $103,850 | +33.6% |
| Alaska | $102,330 | +31.6% |
| Connecticut | $97,580 | +25.5% |
| Washington | $93,070 | +19.7% |
| District of Columbia | $93,030 | +19.7% |
| Minnesota | $90,440 | +16.4% |
| Oregon | $87,080 | +12.0% |
| Massachusetts | $86,940 | +11.8% |
| New York | $86,600 | +11.4% |
| New Jersey | $86,370 | +11.1% |
| Colorado | $83,300 | +7.2% |
| Rhode Island | $80,850 | +4.0% |
| Illinois | $80,320 | +3.3% |
| Hawaii | $79,900 | +2.8% |
| Maryland | $79,670 | +2.5% |
| North Dakota | $78,490 | +1.0% |
| Arizona | $78,380 | +0.8% |
| Nevada | $78,320 | +0.8% |
| Virginia | $76,220 | -1.9% |
| Wisconsin | $75,490 | -2.9% |
| Montana | $75,210 | -3.2% |
| Maine | $75,140 | -3.3% |
| Ohio | $74,770 | -3.8% |
| Utah | $73,580 | -5.3% |
| Delaware | $72,940 | -6.2% |
| Michigan | $71,550 | -8.0% |
| Idaho | $71,410 | -8.1% |
| Florida | $71,350 | -8.2% |
| Louisiana | $71,070 | -8.6% |
| Iowa | $71,050 | -8.6% |
| Georgia | $70,960 | -8.7% |
| Vermont | $70,850 | -8.9% |
| New Mexico | $70,180 | -9.7% |
| Texas | $69,810 | -10.2% |
| Pennsylvania | $69,540 | -10.5% |
| North Carolina | $69,070 | -11.1% |
| New Hampshire | $68,820 | -11.5% |
| Kansas | $68,210 | -12.2% |
| West Virginia | $68,180 | -12.3% |
| Indiana | $67,530 | -13.1% |
| South Dakota | $67,260 | -13.5% |
| Nebraska | $67,100 | -13.7% |
| Kentucky | $66,580 | -14.3% |
| Missouri | $65,140 | -16.2% |
| Alabama | $64,130 | -17.5% |
| Oklahoma | $63,610 | -18.2% |
| Wyoming | $61,510 | -20.9% |
| Tennessee | $61,410 | -21.0% |
| South Carolina | $60,040 | -22.8% |
| Arkansas | $57,710 | -25.8% |
| Mississippi | $55,760 | -28.3% |
What Factors Affect Construction and Building Inspectors Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Construction and Building Inspectors is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: California pays an average of $103,850, while Mississippi pays $55,760 — a gap of $48,090 per year.
The middle half of Construction and Building Inspectors earn between $58,860 and $94,710 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $47,140, while the top 10% earn more than $114,200.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Electricians $71,490/yr United States 8.0% vs this role
- Plumbers Pipefitters and Steamfitters $72,170/yr United States 7.2% vs this role
- Carpenters $65,630/yr United States 15.6% vs this role
- Construction Laborers $52,030/yr United States 33.1% vs this role
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades $86,450/yr United States +11.2% vs this role
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons $68,280/yr United States 12.2% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +30.5% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +76.6% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Construction and Building Inspectors?
The average salary for Construction and Building Inspectors in the United States is $77,730 per year, with a median of $74,690.
What is the starting salary for Construction and Building Inspectors?
Entry-level Construction and Building Inspectors typically earn between $47,140 and $58,860 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Construction and Building Inspectors the most?
California pays Construction and Building Inspectors the most at $103,850 per year on average, followed by Alaska ($102,330) and Connecticut ($97,580).
How much do Construction and Building Inspectors make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $77,730, Construction and Building Inspectors earn approximately $37.37 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Construction and Building Inspectors a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 146,720 Construction and Building Inspectors jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $77,730 and a median of $74,690 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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