A building inspector in Alaska earns a median of $102,410 a year. The same job in Mississippi pays a median of $50,250. That is an annual gap of $52,160, which makes the top state 104% higher than the bottom one.
The national median sits between them at $74,690 a year, or $35.91 an hour. These figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 reference period, for construction and building inspectors (SOC 47-4011). Every state number on this page was pulled from the BLS public API on November 12, 2026.
One definition before the tables. The BLS occupation is "construction and building inspectors." It covers government code inspectors and private-sector inspectors, including home inspectors who are paid as employees. Self-employed home inspectors are not in the survey at all.
The National Picture: $74,690 Median
BLS counted 146,720 wage and salary jobs for construction and building inspectors in May 2025. The mean annual wage was $77,730 ($37.37 an hour), which is $3,040 above the median. A smaller group of higher earners pulls the average up.
The full national distribution:
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $22.66 | $47,140 |
| 25th | $28.30 | $58,860 |
| 50th (median) | $35.91 | $74,690 |
| 75th | $45.54 | $94,710 |
| 90th | $54.91 | $114,200 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national estimates, SOC 47-4011.
One inspector in ten earns less than $47,140 a year. One in four earns less than $58,860. At the other end, the 90th percentile is $114,200, or $54.91 an hour against $22.66 at the 10th percentile, a ratio of 2.4x. The annual distance between those two points is $67,060.
That spread is wide for a single occupation, and part of the reason is what the occupation contains. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook describes the work this way: inspectors "ensure that construction meets building codes and ordinances, zoning regulations, and contract specifications." That one definition takes in government code inspectors and salaried private inspectors, different employers with different pay structures, reported under one code.
The Handbook also lists the typical way in: a high school diploma or equivalent, with "5 years or more" of work experience in a related occupation. That makes this pay table a useful comparison point for tradespeople weighing a move off the tools, and for anyone following the code changes inspectors enforce, such as the 2026 IRC code changes and the 2026 residential electrical code updates.
Full State Table
All 50 states and the District of Columbia have a published median for this occupation, 51 rows in total. States are ranked by median hourly wage. Employment is the number of wage and salary jobs.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $49.24 | $102,410 | 270 |
| 2 | California | $48.70 | $101,290 | 13,420 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $47.44 | $98,670 | 1,430 |
| 4 | Washington | $46.22 | $96,140 | 3,090 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $42.63 | $88,670 | 1,390 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $41.44 | $86,200 | 370 |
| 7 | Oregon | $40.63 | $84,510 | 1,780 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $40.00 | $83,200 | 4,290 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $39.31 | $81,760 | 5,950 |
| 10 | Colorado | $38.44 | $79,950 | 3,700 |
| 11 | New York | $38.20 | $79,460 | 11,160 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $38.14 | $79,320 | 710 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $37.78 | $78,570 | 180 |
| 14 | Illinois | $37.66 | $78,340 | 2,560 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $37.22 | $77,420 | 270 |
| 16 | Maryland | $36.85 | $76,640 | 2,780 |
| 17 | Montana | $36.39 | $75,700 | 290 |
| 18 | Virginia | $36.38 | $75,660 | 6,550 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $36.35 | $75,610 | 1,270 |
| 20 | Nevada | $36.20 | $75,290 | 1,780 |
| 21 | Maine | $35.90 | $74,670 | 710 |
| 22 | Ohio | $35.81 | $74,490 | 3,490 |
| 23 | Utah | $35.64 | $74,130 | 1,240 |
| 24 | Arizona | $35.31 | $73,440 | 3,330 |
| 25 | Delaware | $34.95 | $72,700 | 570 |
| 26 | Iowa | $34.44 | $71,630 | 1,140 |
| 27 | Michigan | $34.15 | $71,040 | 3,090 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $32.82 | $68,260 | 1,440 |
| 29 | Florida | $32.77 | $68,170 | 13,860 |
| 30 | Vermont | $32.01 | $66,580 | 120 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $31.77 | $66,080 | 6,490 |
| 32 | Georgia | $31.72 | $65,980 | 4,510 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $31.67 | $65,870 | 5,320 |
| 34 | New Hampshire | $31.56 | $65,640 | 420 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $31.45 | $65,420 | 800 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $31.25 | $65,000 | 570 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $31.22 | $64,940 | 200 |
| 38 | Texas | $31.16 | $64,810 | 18,230 |
| 39 | West Virginia | $30.77 | $64,000 | 540 |
| 40 | Idaho | $30.56 | $63,570 | 1,000 |
| 41 | Kansas | $30.36 | $63,150 | 840 |
| 42 | Missouri | $30.27 | $62,970 | 1,640 |
| 43 | Indiana | $30.21 | $62,850 | 2,110 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $29.75 | $61,870 | 370 |
| 45 | Alabama | $29.47 | $61,300 | 1,420 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $28.94 | $60,200 | 1,380 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $28.79 | $59,870 | 2,500 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $28.50 | $59,280 | 2,090 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $28.29 | $58,840 | 2,500 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $25.34 | $52,700 | 800 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $24.16 | $50,250 | 800 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, state estimates, SOC 47-4011.
Highest and Lowest Paying States
Only two states have a median above $100,000 a year: Alaska at $102,410 ($49.24 an hour) and California at $101,290 ($48.70). Connecticut follows at $98,670 and Washington at $96,140. Then there is a step down to Minnesota at $88,670, the District of Columbia at $86,200, Oregon at $84,510 and Massachusetts at $83,200. Those eight are the only places where the median reaches $40.00 an hour. New Jersey ($39.31) and Colorado ($38.44) complete the top ten.
Alaska's median of $102,410 is $7,700 above the national 75th percentile of $94,710. A typical inspector there out-earns three quarters of inspectors nationwide.
At the bottom, Mississippi's median is $50,250 ($24.16 an hour) and Arkansas is at $52,700 ($25.34). Above them come South Carolina ($28.29), Oklahoma ($28.50), Tennessee ($28.79), Kentucky ($28.94), Alabama ($29.47) and Wyoming ($29.75). Those eight states have medians below $30 an hour, and five of them have annual medians below $60,000. Indiana and Missouri fill out the bottom ten at $30.21 and $30.27.
Twenty of the 51 are above the national median of $35.91 and 31 are below it. Maine misses the line by $0.01 an hour.
The likely explanations are familiar ones, and BLS does not measure them in this survey. Government code inspectors are generally paid on public-sector salary schedules, which tend to follow local tax bases and living costs. States with stronger public-sector unions and higher housing costs tend to set those schedules higher. Remote markets such as Alaska have to pay more to attract qualified people. Treat these as reasons that fit the pattern, not as measured causes.
Where the Jobs Are
Texas employs the most inspectors, 18,230, at a median of $31.16 an hour ($64,810 a year), which ranks 38th. Florida is second with 13,860 jobs at $32.77 ($68,170), ranked 29th. Together those two states hold 32,090 jobs, and both pay below the national median.
California is the exception. It has 13,420 jobs, third most in the country, and the second-highest median at $101,290. The distance between California's annual median and Texas's is $36,480.
New York is fourth with 11,160 jobs at $38.20 ($79,460), and Virginia is fifth with 6,550 jobs at $36.38 ($75,660). The top 5 states by employment hold 63,220 of the 146,720 national jobs (43%). After them come North Carolina (6,490 jobs at $31.77), New Jersey (5,950 at $39.31) and Pennsylvania (5,320 at $31.67).
Small states need careful reading. Six rows in the table have fewer than 300 jobs: Alaska (270), Montana (290), Rhode Island (270), South Dakota (200), North Dakota (180) and Vermont (120). A median built on a few hundred positions can shift from one survey year to the next. Alaska's first-place ranking rests on 270 jobs.
How Workers and Contractors Should Use These Numbers
For a tradesperson considering inspection work, the state median is the right first comparison. Put it next to your current base pay for a straight-time year, without overtime, because that is what OEWS measures. An inspector's salary often comes with a regular schedule: the Handbook says most inspectors "work full time during regular business hours."
For a working inspector, the national percentile table is the better tool for judging an offer. BLS does not publish experience levels, but an offer near $58,860 is at the national 25th percentile and an offer near $94,710 is at the 75th.
For anyone thinking about relocating, compare the annual medians, then price housing separately. This page carries no cost-of-living adjustment.
For contractors and builders, these figures explain a staffing problem more than a cost line. Building departments recruit from the same pool of experienced tradespeople that contractors do. In states where the inspector median is high relative to trade wages, expect departments to pull senior field staff. In states where it is low, expect thin departments and longer waits for inspections. For other career paths off the tools, see our pieces on construction manager salaries and how to become a general contractor.
What the Data Does Not Show
OEWS is a survey of employers, and its limits matter here more than in most trades.
- It covers wage and salary workers only. Self-employed inspectors are excluded, and that leaves out home inspectors who work for themselves and are paid per inspection.
- It reports straight-time gross pay. Overtime premiums are excluded, and so are benefits. Health coverage and pension contributions do not appear in these figures.
- Per diem and vehicle or mileage allowances are not counted.
- The reference period is May 2025. Pay changes since then are not reflected. The next OEWS release, covering May 2026, is due in spring 2027.
- These are medians for a whole state. They are not a union scale, not a municipal salary schedule and not a rate for any single city.
- Government and private-sector inspectors are combined, with no separate figure for either.
- There is no breakdown by specialty, certification or years of experience.
Licensing and certification rules are also outside this data. The Handbook notes that "many states and localities require some type of license or certification," and those rules differ by jurisdiction. Check with the state or local authority where you plan to work.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do building inspectors make a year?
The national median for construction and building inspectors was $74,690 a year in May 2025, or $35.91 an hour, according to BLS. The mean was $77,730. The middle half of the occupation earned between $58,860 and $94,710.
Which state pays building inspectors the most?
Alaska has the highest median at $102,410 a year ($49.24 an hour), followed by California at $101,290, Connecticut at $98,670 and Washington at $96,140. Alaska's figure is based on 270 jobs, so California, with 13,420 jobs, is the largest high-paying market.
Which state pays building inspectors the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $50,250 a year ($24.16 an hour). Arkansas is next at $52,700, then South Carolina at $58,840.
Are home inspectors included in these salary figures?
Partly. Home inspectors who are employees of an inspection company are counted in the BLS occupation. Self-employed home inspectors are not, because OEWS surveys employers about their wage and salary workers. These medians describe employee pay, not business income.
Is building inspection a growing occupation?
BLS projects little change in the total. The Occupational Outlook Handbook states that employment "is projected to show little or no change from 2025 to 2035." It still projects "about 14,800 openings" a year on average, and says most of those are expected to come from the need to replace workers who move to other occupations or leave the labor force, such as to retire. The Handbook lists 153,900 jobs in 2025, a count from a separate BLS program that is larger than the OEWS wage and salary figure used elsewhere on this page.
Your Action Item for This Week
Find your state in the table and write down three numbers: the state median annual, the national median of $74,690, and your own straight-time annual pay. Leave overtime out on both sides.
If you are weighing a move into inspection, look up the posted salary range for an inspector position at your local building department. Compare it with the state median.
If you are an inspector reviewing an offer, place it against the national percentile table and ask the employer for the full benefits summary in writing. The benefits are not in any number on this page.
Sources & Data Cited
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Construction and Building Inspectors, SOC 47-4011, May 2025 national and state estimates, retrieved via the BLS public API November 12, 2026: www.bls.gov/oes/
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Construction and Building Inspectors: www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/construction-and-building-inspectors.htm
