Construction and Building Inspectors
Construction and Building Inspectors (SOC 47-4011) earn a median $74,690 a year ($35.91 an hour) in the United States, with 146,720 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Alaska.
What construction and building inspectors do
Construction and building inspectors use engineering skills to determine whether structures are sound and comply with specifications, building codes and other regulations. Inspections may be general or limited to one area, such as electrical systems or plumbing. They review and interpret plans, blueprints, site layouts and specifications to confirm that legal and safety requirements are met, approve building plans that meet the required specifications, and issue permits for construction, relocation, demolition or occupancy. In the field they inspect buildings, bridges, dams, highways, foundations, sewers, heating systems, wiring, plumbing and electrical circuits both during and after construction, monitor the installation of plumbing, wiring and appliances, and measure dimensions and verify level, alignment or elevation. Inspectors talk with owners, violators or authorities to explain the regulations and suggest corrective steps. Titles include building inspector, bridge inspector, boiler inspector, amusement ride inspector and building code administrator.
Typical entry: Most workers in this occupation report a high school diploma or equivalent as their level of education, according to O*NET.
Also called: Amusement Ride Inspector, Architectural Examiner, Architectural Inspector, Boiler Inspector, Bridge Inspector.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $22.66 | $28.30 | $35.91 | $45.54 | $54.91 | $37.37 | 146,720 |
| Annual | $47,140 | $58,860 | $74,690 | $94,710 | $114,200 | $77,730 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where construction and building inspectors earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $35.36 | $38.73 | $49.24 | $58.29 | $60.02 | $49.20 | 270 | 0.84 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $73,550 | $80,560 | $102,410 | $121,250 | $124,840 | $102,330 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $27.03 | $36.62 | $48.70 | $61.80 | $77.67 | $49.93 | 13,420 | 0.74 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $56,220 | $76,160 | $101,290 | $128,530 | $161,550 | $103,850 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $31.32 | $38.05 | $47.44 | $55.34 | $62.42 | $46.91 | 1,430 | 0.85 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $65,140 | $79,140 | $98,670 | $115,100 | $129,830 | $97,580 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $30.69 | $37.25 | $46.22 | $50.63 | $58.51 | $44.75 | 3,090 | 0.87 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $63,840 | $77,480 | $96,140 | $105,300 | $121,700 | $93,070 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $29.62 | $37.51 | $42.63 | $48.51 | $54.05 | $43.48 | 1,390 | 0.47 | 0.50 |
| Annual | $61,610 | $78,030 | $88,670 | $100,890 | $112,420 | $90,440 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $20.78 | $24.31 | $31.16 | $38.64 | $50.56 | $33.56 | 18,230 | 1.30 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $43,220 | $50,560 | $64,810 | $80,370 | $105,160 | $69,810 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $21.85 | $26.00 | $32.77 | $40.09 | $48.21 | $34.30 | 13,860 | 1.40 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $45,460 | $54,080 | $68,170 | $83,390 | $100,280 | $71,350 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $27.03 | $36.62 | $48.70 | $61.80 | $77.67 | $49.93 | 13,420 | 0.74 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $56,220 | $76,160 | $101,290 | $128,530 | $161,550 | $103,850 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $24.78 | $29.77 | $38.20 | $49.98 | $64.63 | $41.63 | 11,160 | 1.15 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $51,540 | $61,920 | $79,460 | $103,960 | $134,430 | $86,600 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $24.08 | $29.27 | $36.38 | $42.47 | $50.23 | $36.65 | 6,550 | 1.59 | 1.69 |
| Annual | $50,090 | $60,870 | $75,660 | $88,340 | $104,480 | $76,220 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $28.36 | $41.99 | $62.38 | $77.53 | $88.32 | $59.82 | 860 | 0.76 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $58,990 | $87,340 | $129,750 | $161,270 | $183,710 | $124,420 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $36.54 | $46.54 | $60.16 | $69.24 | $84.36 | $59.28 | 2,380 | 1.00 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $76,000 | $96,800 | $125,130 | $144,020 | $175,460 | $123,300 | ||||
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | Hourly | $28.63 | $40.11 | $54.11 | $76.01 | $79.40 | $55.83 | 210 | 1.05 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $59,540 | $83,430 | $112,550 | $158,100 | $165,150 | $116,130 | ||||
| Vallejo, CA | Hourly | $28.56 | $37.61 | $52.01 | $62.14 | $74.36 | $51.32 | 190 | 1.34 | 1.42 |
| Annual | $59,400 | $78,230 | $108,180 | $129,250 | $154,670 | $106,740 | ||||
| Anchorage, AK | Hourly | $34.35 | $39.53 | $51.34 | $58.29 | $59.75 | $50.04 | 160 | 0.92 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $71,450 | $82,220 | $106,780 | $121,250 | $124,280 | $104,090 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $25.14 | $33.73 | $43.65 | $54.91 | $65.12 | $45.02 | 10,340 | 1.09 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $52,300 | $70,170 | $90,800 | $114,200 | $135,450 | $93,640 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $22.43 | $27.94 | $33.19 | $38.53 | $52.21 | $34.82 | 5,450 | 1.35 | 1.43 |
| Annual | $46,660 | $58,120 | $69,020 | $80,140 | $108,590 | $72,420 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $20.89 | $25.69 | $32.11 | $40.98 | $50.56 | $34.92 | 4,980 | 1.51 | 1.60 |
| Annual | $43,450 | $53,430 | $66,780 | $85,240 | $105,170 | $72,640 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $22.57 | $27.18 | $36.83 | $45.71 | $50.81 | $36.71 | 4,380 | 1.55 | 1.65 |
| Annual | $46,940 | $56,520 | $76,610 | $95,070 | $105,690 | $76,360 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $28.10 | $33.05 | $38.54 | $48.04 | $56.01 | $40.95 | 4,060 | 1.30 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $58,460 | $68,740 | $80,150 | $99,910 | $116,510 | $85,180 | ||||
Top industries employing construction and building inspectors
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) employ 36.6% of construction and building inspectors nationally (53,640 jobs) at a median $73,930 a year ($35.54 an hour), followed by Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (32.2%) and Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (4.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 53,640 | 36.6% | $73,930 | $35.54 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 47,310 | 32.2% | $75,330 | $36.22 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services NAICS 541900 | 5,890 | 4.0% | $69,040 | $33.19 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 5,310 | 3.6% | $73,520 | $35.35 |
| Building Equipment Contractors NAICS 238200 | 4,800 | 3.3% | $71,150 | $34.21 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (146,720). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $61,640 for construction and building inspectors in May 2021 and $74,690 in May 2025, with employment of 117,830 and 146,720.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $61,640 | $29.63 | 117,830 |
| May 2022 | $64,480 | $31.00 | 128,950 |
| May 2023 | $67,700 | $32.55 | 133,640 |
| May 2024 | $72,120 | $34.67 | 137,210 |
| May 2025 | $74,690 | $35.91 | 146,720 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska profile | $49.24 | $102,410 | $73,550 | $124,840 | 270 | 0.84 | 0.89 |
| 2 | California profile | $48.70 | $101,290 | $56,220 | $161,550 | 13,420 | 0.74 | 0.78 |
| 3 | Connecticut profile | $47.44 | $98,670 | $65,140 | $129,830 | 1,430 | 0.85 | 0.90 |
| 4 | Washington profile | $46.22 | $96,140 | $63,840 | $121,700 | 3,090 | 0.87 | 0.92 |
| 5 | Minnesota profile | $42.63 | $88,670 | $61,610 | $112,420 | 1,390 | 0.47 | 0.50 |
| 6 | District of Columbia profile | $41.44 | $86,200 | $68,120 | $131,810 | 370 | 0.53 | 0.56 |
| 7 | Oregon profile | $40.63 | $84,510 | $60,970 | $115,910 | 1,780 | 0.91 | 0.96 |
| 8 | Massachusetts profile | $40.00 | $83,200 | $50,330 | $123,400 | 4,290 | 1.18 | 1.25 |
| 9 | New Jersey profile | $39.31 | $81,760 | $48,880 | $126,400 | 5,950 | 1.39 | 1.47 |
| 10 | Colorado profile | $38.44 | $79,950 | $54,290 | $121,740 | 3,700 | 1.29 | 1.36 |
| 11 | New York profile | $38.20 | $79,460 | $51,540 | $134,430 | 11,160 | 1.15 | 1.22 |
| 12 | Hawaii profile | $38.14 | $79,320 | $53,590 | $99,600 | 710 | 1.13 | 1.19 |
| 13 | North Dakota profile | $37.78 | $78,570 | $55,150 | $100,390 | 180 | 0.41 | 0.44 |
| 14 | Illinois profile | $37.66 | $78,340 | $47,600 | $119,650 | 2,560 | 0.42 | 0.44 |
| 15 | Rhode Island profile | $37.22 | $77,420 | $57,950 | $110,940 | 270 | 0.54 | 0.57 |
| 16 | Maryland profile | $36.85 | $76,640 | $53,610 | $110,250 | 2,780 | 1.01 | 1.07 |
| 17 | Montana profile | $36.39 | $75,700 | $49,840 | $100,850 | 290 | 0.57 | 0.60 |
| 18 | Virginia profile | $36.38 | $75,660 | $50,090 | $104,480 | 6,550 | 1.59 | 1.69 |
| 19 | Wisconsin profile | $36.35 | $75,610 | $47,290 | $101,240 | 1,270 | 0.43 | 0.46 |
| 20 | Nevada profile | $36.20 | $75,290 | $55,510 | $105,490 | 1,780 | 1.15 | 1.22 |
| 21 | Maine profile | $35.90 | $74,670 | $48,340 | $102,500 | 710 | 1.10 | 1.17 |
| 22 | Ohio profile | $35.81 | $74,490 | $50,440 | $100,290 | 3,490 | 0.63 | 0.67 |
| 23 | Utah profile | $35.64 | $74,130 | $48,690 | $99,630 | 1,240 | 0.71 | 0.76 |
| 24 | Arizona profile | $35.31 | $73,440 | $55,310 | $105,980 | 3,330 | 1.03 | 1.09 |
| 25 | Delaware profile | $34.95 | $72,700 | $52,350 | $95,690 | 570 | 1.18 | 1.25 |
| 26 | Iowa profile | $34.44 | $71,630 | $47,470 | $90,380 | 1,140 | 0.73 | 0.77 |
| 27 | Michigan profile | $34.15 | $71,040 | $47,100 | $95,980 | 3,090 | 0.70 | 0.74 |
| 28 | Louisiana profile | $32.82 | $68,260 | $47,450 | $95,400 | 1,440 | 0.75 | 0.79 |
| 29 | Florida profile | $32.77 | $68,170 | $45,460 | $100,280 | 13,860 | 1.40 | 1.48 |
| 30 | Vermont profile | $32.01 | $66,580 | $49,350 | $92,110 | 120 | 0.39 | 0.41 |
| 31 | North Carolina profile | $31.77 | $66,080 | $46,840 | $95,220 | 6,490 | 1.31 | 1.39 |
| 32 | Georgia profile | $31.72 | $65,980 | $46,070 | $100,450 | 4,510 | 0.92 | 0.98 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania profile | $31.67 | $65,870 | $48,610 | $93,790 | 5,320 | 0.88 | 0.93 |
| 34 | New Hampshire profile | $31.56 | $65,640 | $45,070 | $88,610 | 420 | 0.61 | 0.65 |
| 35 | New Mexico profile | $31.45 | $65,420 | $48,350 | $94,870 | 800 | 0.91 | 0.97 |
| 36 | Nebraska profile | $31.25 | $65,000 | $45,910 | $90,880 | 570 | 0.56 | 0.59 |
| 37 | South Dakota profile | $31.22 | $64,940 | $47,670 | $89,050 | 200 | 0.43 | 0.46 |
| 38 | Texas profile | $31.16 | $64,810 | $43,220 | $105,160 | 18,230 | 1.30 | 1.37 |
| 39 | West Virginia profile | $30.77 | $64,000 | $34,090 | $92,930 | 540 | 0.77 | 0.81 |
| 40 | Idaho profile | $30.56 | $63,570 | $48,840 | $102,000 | 1,000 | 1.16 | 1.23 |
| 41 | Kansas profile | $30.36 | $63,150 | $48,170 | $91,420 | 840 | 0.59 | 0.62 |
| 42 | Missouri profile | $30.27 | $62,970 | $46,980 | $87,690 | 1,640 | 0.56 | 0.59 |
| 43 | Indiana profile | $30.21 | $62,850 | $44,540 | $94,350 | 2,110 | 0.66 | 0.70 |
| 44 | Wyoming profile | $29.75 | $61,870 | $35,920 | $93,470 | 370 | 1.30 | 1.38 |
| 45 | Alabama profile | $29.47 | $61,300 | $46,010 | $85,770 | 1,420 | 0.67 | 0.71 |
| 46 | Kentucky profile | $28.94 | $60,200 | $37,140 | $97,670 | 1,380 | 0.69 | 0.73 |
| 47 | Tennessee profile | $28.79 | $59,870 | $38,670 | $84,600 | 2,500 | 0.76 | 0.81 |
| 48 | Oklahoma profile | $28.50 | $59,280 | $41,410 | $94,850 | 2,090 | 1.22 | 1.29 |
| 49 | South Carolina profile | $28.29 | $58,840 | $36,140 | $84,860 | 2,500 | 1.08 | 1.15 |
| 50 | Arkansas profile | $25.34 | $52,700 | $39,450 | $81,340 | 800 | 0.61 | 0.65 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $24.16 | $50,250 | $35,600 | $76,400 | 800 | 0.68 | 0.72 |
Part of Construction and Extraction Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 47-4011 Construction and Building Inspectors.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 47-4011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 47-4011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.