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.
Government Property Inspector and Investigator Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Government Property Inspectors and Investigators is $80,730 a year ($38.81/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 3.0% through 2034, with about 33,300 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
SOC 13-1041Business and Financial OperationsLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $80,730
- Projected growth
- +3.0%
- Openings a year
- 33,300
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Airport Operations Officer, Housing Inspector, Housing Management Representative, Housing Quality Standard Inspector (HQS Inspector), Neighborhood Conservation Officer, Quality Assurance Specialist.
How much do Government Property Inspectors and Investigators make?
10th percentile$48,220
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$61,280
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$80,730
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$109,010
Upper quartile
90th percentile$133,720
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $80,730 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $38.81/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $88,400 |
| People employed | 417,070 |
Versus all US occupations
At $80,730, Government Property Inspectors and Investigators earn 58% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $29,750 a year.
Versus business and financial operations occupations
The median is typical for the Business and Financial Operations group, where the middle occupation pays $80,730.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $133,720 or more while the bottom 10% earn $48,220, a gap of 2.8×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 67% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
District of Columbia pays the most at $111,030, and still leads at $101,027 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Government Property Inspectors and Investigators the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $111,030 | $101,027 | 4,380 |
| Massachusetts | $102,060 | $96,504 | 13,190 |
| New Jersey | $100,000 | $91,908 | 13,310 |
| California | $96,980 | $87,590 | 49,880 |
| Connecticut | $91,810 | $88,611 | 3,610 |
| Delaware | $91,050 | $91,225 | 2,150 |
| Vermont | $90,420 | $92,305 | 1,960 |
| New York | $90,080 | $83,468 | 23,500 |
| Washington | $88,790 | $82,971 | 11,130 |
| Rhode Island | $87,620 | $85,667 | 970 |
Is Government Property Inspector and Investigator a growing career?
Government Property Inspectors and Investigators3.0%
All US occupations3.1%
+3.0% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Government Property Inspectors and Investigators to change 3.0% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 12,300 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 33,300 openings are projected each year, 8.0% of the 418,000 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.
Demand for compliance officers will stem from the need for businesses and government agencies to comply with various laws and regulations. Compliance officers will be needed to understand the complexities of these regulations and to help their employers avoid the costs associated with noncompliance.
How to become a Government Property Inspector and Investigator
Compliance officers typically need a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation. They often receive training on the job. Employers may prefer or require candidates to have experience related to the position.
| Typical entry-level education | Bachelor's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Some preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| 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 government property inspectors and investigators.
- Bachelor's Degree39.3%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)24.7%
- Post-Secondary Certificate16.2%
- Some College Courses10.3%
- High School Diploma9.4%
What does a Government Property Inspector and Investigator do?
Investigate or inspect government property to ensure compliance with contract agreements and government regulations.
Compliance officers make sure that people and organizations meet legal and regulatory requirements.
Day-to-day tasks
- Examine records, reports, or other documents to establish facts or detect discrepancies.
- Prepare correspondence, reports of inspections or investigations, or recommendations for action.
- Inspect government property, such as construction sites or public housing, to ensure compliance with contract specifications or legal requirements.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Where government property inspectors and investigators work
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | 37% |
|---|---|
| Finance and insurance | 12% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 9% |
| Healthcare and social assistance | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Active Listening4.1/5
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Writing4.0/5
- Speaking4.0/5
- Critical Thinking4.0/5
- Active Learning3.5/5
- Monitoring3.4/5
- Learning Strategies3.0/5
Transferable skills
- Judgment and Decision Making4.0/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.5/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.4/5
- Coordination3.4/5
- Systems Evaluation3.4/5
- Systems Analysis3.3/5
- Instructing3.1/5
- Service Orientation3.1/5
Tools and software
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Government Property Inspector and Investigator?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realistic3.1
Investigativeprimary3.3
Artistic1.0
Social2.4
Enterprisingprimary4.2
Conventionalprimary6.3
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
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.
Government Property Inspector and Investigator: frequently asked questions
How much do Government Property Inspectors and Investigators make?
Government Property Inspectors and Investigators earn a median of $80,730 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 58% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $38.81/hr. The middle half earn between $61,280 and $109,010. The top 10% earn $133,720 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Government Property Inspector and Investigator?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Government Property Inspectors and Investigators, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as some preparation. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 39.3% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Government Property Inspector and Investigator a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.0% over 2024–2034, about the same as the 3.1% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 33,300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Government Property Inspector and Investigator do?
Compliance officers make sure that people and organizations meet legal and regulatory requirements. A core O*NET task: examine records, reports, or other documents to establish facts or detect discrepancies. Employers most often ask for Computer aided design CAD software, Data base user interface and query software, Desktop publishing software.
Which states pay Government Property Inspectors and Investigators the most?
The highest state medians for Government Property Inspectors and Investigators are District of Columbia ($111,030), Massachusetts ($102,060), New Jersey ($100,000) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Government Property Inspector and Investigator?
O*NET scores Government Property Inspectors and Investigators highest on the Conventional, Enterprising and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESTJ, ISTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.