Construction and Building Inspectors Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for construction and building inspectors is $74,690, or $35.91 per hour. About 146,720 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $102,410 in Alaska to $50,250 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $102,410 | $49.24 | 270 | 0.89 |
| 2 | California | $101,290 | $48.70 | 13,420 | 0.78 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $98,670 | $47.44 | 1,430 | 0.90 |
| 4 | Washington | $96,140 | $46.22 | 3,090 | 0.92 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $88,670 | $42.63 | 1,390 | 0.50 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $86,200 | $41.44 | 370 | 0.56 |
| 7 | Oregon | $84,510 | $40.63 | 1,780 | 0.96 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $83,200 | $40.00 | 4,290 | 1.25 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $81,760 | $39.31 | 5,950 | 1.47 |
| 10 | Colorado | $79,950 | $38.44 | 3,700 | 1.36 |
| 11 | New York | $79,460 | $38.20 | 11,160 | 1.22 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $79,320 | $38.14 | 710 | 1.19 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $78,570 | $37.78 | 180 | 0.44 |
| 14 | Illinois | $78,340 | $37.66 | 2,560 | 0.44 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $77,420 | $37.22 | 270 | 0.57 |
| 16 | Maryland | $76,640 | $36.85 | 2,780 | 1.07 |
| 17 | Montana | $75,700 | $36.39 | 290 | 0.60 |
| 18 | Virginia | $75,660 | $36.38 | 6,550 | 1.69 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $75,610 | $36.35 | 1,270 | 0.46 |
| 20 | Nevada | $75,290 | $36.20 | 1,780 | 1.22 |
| 21 | Maine | $74,670 | $35.90 | 710 | 1.17 |
| 22 | Ohio | $74,490 | $35.81 | 3,490 | 0.67 |
| 23 | Utah | $74,130 | $35.64 | 1,240 | 0.76 |
| 24 | Arizona | $73,440 | $35.31 | 3,330 | 1.09 |
| 25 | Delaware | $72,700 | $34.95 | 570 | 1.25 |
| 26 | Iowa | $71,630 | $34.44 | 1,140 | 0.77 |
| 27 | Michigan | $71,040 | $34.15 | 3,090 | 0.74 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $68,260 | $32.82 | 1,440 | 0.79 |
| 29 | Florida | $68,170 | $32.77 | 13,860 | 1.48 |
| 30 | Vermont | $66,580 | $32.01 | 120 | 0.41 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $66,080 | $31.77 | 6,490 | 1.39 |
| 32 | Georgia | $65,980 | $31.72 | 4,510 | 0.98 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $65,870 | $31.67 | 5,320 | 0.93 |
| 34 | New Hampshire | $65,640 | $31.56 | 420 | 0.65 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $65,420 | $31.45 | 800 | 0.97 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $65,000 | $31.25 | 570 | 0.59 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $64,940 | $31.22 | 200 | 0.46 |
| 38 | Texas | $64,810 | $31.16 | 18,230 | 1.37 |
| 39 | West Virginia | $64,000 | $30.77 | 540 | 0.81 |
| 40 | Idaho | $63,570 | $30.56 | 1,000 | 1.23 |
| 41 | Kansas | $63,150 | $30.36 | 840 | 0.62 |
| 42 | Missouri | $62,970 | $30.27 | 1,640 | 0.59 |
| 43 | Indiana | $62,850 | $30.21 | 2,110 | 0.70 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $61,870 | $29.75 | 370 | 1.38 |
| 45 | Alabama | $61,300 | $29.47 | 1,420 | 0.71 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $60,200 | $28.94 | 1,380 | 0.73 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $59,870 | $28.79 | 2,500 | 0.81 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $59,280 | $28.50 | 2,090 | 1.29 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $58,840 | $28.29 | 2,500 | 1.15 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $52,700 | $25.34 | 800 | 0.65 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $50,250 | $24.16 | 800 | 0.72 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do construction and building inspectors make?
The median annual wage for construction and building inspectors in the United States is $74,690, or $35.91 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $47,140, and the top 10% earn $114,200.
How many construction and building inspectors are employed in the U.S.?
About 146,720 people work as construction and building inspectors nationwide.
Which state pays construction and building inspectors the most?
Alaska pays the most at a median of $102,410, followed by California ($101,290) and Connecticut ($98,670).
Which state pays construction and building inspectors the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $50,250.
Where are construction and building inspectors jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Virginia at 1.69×.