State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Construction and Building Inspector Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
Construction and Building Inspectors earn a median of $74,690 per year ($35.91/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to fall 0.8% through 2034, with about 14,800 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
SOC 47-4011Construction and ExtractionLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $74,690
- Projected growth
- -0.8%
- Openings a year
- 14,800
- Typical education
- High school
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Building Code Administrator, Building Inspector, Building Official, Code Enforcement Officer, Code Inspector, Combination Building Inspector.
How much do Construction and Building Inspectors make?
10th percentile$47,140
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$58,860
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$74,690
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$94,710
Upper quartile
90th percentile$114,200
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $74,690 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $35.91/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $77,730 |
| People employed | 146,720 |
Versus all US occupations
At $74,690, Construction and Building Inspectors earn 47% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $23,710 a year.
Versus construction and extraction occupations
Inside the Construction and Extraction group, where the middle occupation pays $57,430, this is 30% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $114,200 or more while the bottom 10% earn $47,140, a gap of 2.4×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 59% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Alaska pays the most at $102,410, and still leads at $100,050 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Construction and Building Inspectors the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $102,410 | $100,050 | 270 |
| California | $101,290 | $91,483 | 13,420 |
| Connecticut | $98,670 | $95,232 | 1,430 |
| Washington | $96,140 | $89,840 | 3,090 |
| Minnesota | $88,670 | $89,910 | 1,390 |
| District of Columbia | $86,200 | $78,434 | 370 |
| Oregon | $84,510 | $81,762 | 1,780 |
| Massachusetts | $83,200 | $78,671 | 4,290 |
| New Jersey | $81,760 | $75,144 | 5,950 |
| Colorado | $79,950 | $77,582 | 3,700 |
Is Construction and Building Inspector a growing career?
Construction and Building Inspectors-0.8%
All US occupations3.1%
-0.8% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Declining
BLS projects employment of Construction and Building Inspectors to change -0.8% over 2024–2034, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.1%. That is 1,200 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 14,800 openings are projected each year, 10.0% of the 147,600 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
The increasing use of remote inspections is projected to reduce the need for inspectors in state and local government. However, continued public interest in safety and the desire to improve the quality of construction is expected to support some demand for inspectors.
How to become a Construction and Building Inspector
Construction and building inspectors usually need a high school diploma and work experience in a construction trade to enter the occupation. They typically learn on the job to attain competency. Many states and localities require some type of license or certification.
| Typical entry-level education | High school diploma or equivalent |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Some preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | 5 years or more |
| Typical on-the-job training | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as construction and building inspectors.
- High School Diploma36.0%
- Post-Secondary Certificate36.0%
- Bachelor's Degree16.0%
- Some College Courses4.0%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)4.0%
What does a Construction and Building Inspector do?
Inspect structures using engineering skills to determine structural soundness and compliance with specifications, building codes, and other regulations. Inspections may be general in nature or may be limited to a specific area, such as electrical systems or plumbing.
Construction and building inspectors ensure that construction meets local and national building codes and ordinances, zoning regulations, and contract specifications.
Day-to-day tasks
- Review and interpret plans, blueprints, site layouts, specifications, or construction methods to ensure compliance to legal requirements and safety regulations.
- Confer with owners, violators, or authorities to explain regulations or recommend remedial actions.
- Maintain daily logs and supplement inspection records with photographs.
- Conduct inspections, using survey instruments, metering devices, tape measures, or test equipment.
- Train, direct, or supervise other construction inspectors.
- Inspect bridges, dams, highways, buildings, wiring, plumbing, electrical circuits, sewers, heating systems, or foundations during and after construction for structural quality, general safety, or conformance to specifications and codes.
- Monitor installation of plumbing, wiring, equipment, or appliances to ensure that installation is performed properly and is in compliance with applicable regulations.
- Inspect and monitor construction sites to ensure adherence to safety standards, building codes, or specifications.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Where construction and building inspectors work
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 36% |
|---|---|
| Engineering services | 19% |
| Construction | 9% |
| Self-employed workers | 5% |
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | 4% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Critical Thinking3.9/5
- Active Listening3.8/5
- Speaking3.8/5
- Writing3.1/5
- Active Learning3.1/5
- Mathematics3.0/5
- Learning Strategies3.0/5
Transferable skills
- Complex Problem Solving3.4/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.4/5
- Systems Evaluation3.3/5
- Time Management3.3/5
- Persuasion3.1/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.0/5
- Negotiation3.0/5
- Instructing3.0/5
Tools and software
- Accounting software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Compliance software
- Data base reporting software
- Data base user interface and query software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Construction and Building Inspector?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary6.2
Investigativeprimary4.1
Artistic1.2
Social1.5
Enterprising2.1
Conventionalprimary5.4
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Construction and Building Inspector: frequently asked questions
How much do Construction and Building Inspectors make?
Construction and Building Inspectors earn a median of $74,690 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 47% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $35.91/hr. The middle half earn between $58,860 and $94,710. The top 10% earn $114,200 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Construction and Building Inspector?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Construction and Building Inspectors. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. Employers typically expect 5 years or more of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 36.0% hold high school diploma.
Is Construction and Building Inspector a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 0.8% over 2024–2034, a loss of 1,200 jobs (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 14,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Construction and Building Inspector do?
Construction and building inspectors ensure that construction meets local and national building codes and ordinances, zoning regulations, and contract specifications. A core O*NET task: review and interpret plans, blueprints, site layouts, specifications, or construction methods to ensure compliance to legal requirements and safety regulations. Employers most often ask for Accounting software, Computer aided design CAD software, Electronic mail software.
Which states pay Construction and Building Inspectors the most?
The highest state medians for Construction and Building Inspectors are Alaska ($102,410), California ($101,290), Connecticut ($98,670) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Construction and Building Inspector?
O*NET scores Construction and Building Inspectors highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.