Construction and Building Inspectors Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Construction and Building Inspectors — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$74,690
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$35.91
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$114,200
entry level starts ~$47,140
Pay Grade
B
solid pay · 147,000 employed

How much do Construction and Building Inspectors make?

Construction and Building Inspectors earn a median annual salary of $74,690 in the United States, which works out to roughly $35.91 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $47,140 at the entry level and $114,200 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $58,860 and $94,710 a year.

That is $13,300 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Construction and Building Inspectors salary range by percentile

Half of all Construction and Building Inspectors earn between $58,860 and $94,710 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$47,140$22.66
25th percentile (early career)$58,860$28.30
50th percentile (median)$74,690$35.91
75th percentile (experienced)$94,710$45.53
90th percentile (top earners)$114,200$54.90

Highest-paying states for Construction and Building Inspectors

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Alaska leads the country for Construction and Building Inspectors pay at $102,410 a year, followed by California ($101,290) and Connecticut ($98,670). At the other end, Mississippi posts the lowest median at $50,250 — a gap of $52,160 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1Alaska$102,410$49.24+37%
2California$101,290$48.70+36%
3Connecticut$98,670$47.44+32%
4Washington$96,140$46.22+29%
5Minnesota$88,670$42.63+19%

Workforce and education

About 147,000 people work as Construction and Building Inspectors in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $77,730 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much do Construction and Building Inspectors make in the United States?
The median Construction and Building Inspectors salary in the United States is $74,690 per year, or about $35.91 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $47,140, while the top 10% of earners make $114,200 or more.
How does Construction and Building Inspectors pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of B (solid pay), the Construction and Building Inspectors median of $74,690 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Construction and Building Inspectors the most?
Alaska is the highest-paying state for Construction and Building Inspectors, with a median salary of $102,410 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
What education do Construction and Building Inspectors need?
For most positions, a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, according to O*NET occupation data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
How many Construction and Building Inspectors work in the United States?
About 147,000 people were employed as Construction and Building Inspectors in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.