Research Summary. After extensive research by the Zippia data science team, we identified these details of quality inspector salary by state for the United States in 2026:
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Washington has the highest quality inspector salary of $51,367
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Mississippi has the lowest quality inspector salary of $25,477
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The national average salary for quality inspectors is $33,197
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The national hourly pay for quality inspectors is $15.96
You can read more on the specific methodology.
Background
In today’s job market, salary remains the most critical factor for many job seekers. For those interested in a career as a quality inspector, understanding salary expectations based on location is essential.
While individual salaries can vary based on factors like experience, education, and company size, our comprehensive data allows for a better understanding of average salaries for quality inspectors by state, including variations by seniority level. This analysis provides a useful benchmark for prospective job seekers.
The state with the highest salary for quality inspectors remains Washington.
Here’s an updated snapshot of the top ten states for quality inspector salaries:
Let’s take a closer look at how we arrived at these figures and a complete ranking of all the states.
Highest-Paid Quality Inspectors By State
| Rank | State | Average Quality Inspector Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $51,367 | $39,000 | $66,000 |
| 2 | Alaska | $44,017 | $39,000 | $49,000 |
| 3 | Montana | $44,016 | $34,000 | $56,000 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $43,422 | $34,000 | $54,000 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $42,667 | $32,000 | $55,000 |
| 6 | Nebraska | $42,037 | $32,000 | $55,000 |
| 7 | Oregon | $41,710 | $31,000 | $54,000 |
| 8 | South Dakota | $41,146 | $31,000 | $53,000 |
| 9 | California | $39,882 | $29,000 | $53,000 |
| 10 | Colorado | $39,482 | $30,000 | $51,000 |
| 11 | Idaho | $39,343 | $30,000 | $51,000 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $38,969 | $27,000 | $55,000 |
| 13 | Utah | $38,331 | $29,000 | $50,000 |
| 14 | Arizona | $38,191 | $28,000 | $50,000 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $38,012 | $26,000 | $53,000 |
| 16 | Maryland | $37,689 | $27,000 | $51,000 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $37,053 | $28,000 | $48,000 |
| 18 | Louisiana | $36,969 | $27,000 | $49,000 |
| 19 | Nevada | $36,887 | $27,000 | $49,000 |
| 20 | Iowa | $36,697 | $27,000 | $48,000 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $36,581 | $27,000 | $48,000 |
| 22 | Rhode Island | $36,457 | $25,000 | $51,000 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $35,944 | $26,000 | $47,000 |
| 24 | Vermont | $35,814 | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $35,549 | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| 26 | Kansas | $35,176 | $26,000 | $46,000 |
| 27 | Maine | $35,155 | $25,000 | $49,000 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $34,737 | $26,000 | $45,000 |
| 29 | New York | $33,797 | $24,000 | $47,000 |
| 30 | Illinois | $33,469 | $25,000 | $44,000 |
| 31 | Missouri | $33,410 | $25,000 | $44,000 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $33,103 | $27,000 | $39,000 |
| 33 | New Jersey | $32,988 | $23,000 | $46,000 |
| 34 | Texas | $31,361 | $23,000 | $41,000 |
| 35 | Ohio | $30,909 | $22,000 | $41,000 |
| 36 | Delaware | $30,379 | $22,000 | $41,000 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $30,053 | $21,000 | $41,000 |
| 38 | Virginia | $29,620 | $22,000 | $39,000 |
| 39 | Michigan | $29,594 | $21,000 | $40,000 |
| 40 | Indiana | $29,360 | $21,000 | $39,000 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $29,304 | $22,000 | $38,000 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $29,223 | $21,000 | $39,000 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $29,177 | $22,000 | $38,000 |
| 44 | Florida | $28,526 | $21,000 | $38,000 |
| 45 | Georgia | $27,550 | $20,000 | $36,000 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $27,308 | $20,000 | $36,000 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $26,257 | $19,000 | $34,000 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $26,175 | $19,000 | $34,000 |
| 49 | Alabama | $25,538 | $19,000 | $33,000 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $25,477 | $19,000 | $33,000 |
Methodology: Quality Inspector Salary By State
To better understand quality inspector pay by state, Zippia has aggregated data across various channels, including government sources and job postings. This data is then analyzed to produce a weighted average, accurately reflecting the salary landscape for quality inspectors across the country.
By evaluating average annual salary data, we ranked each state based on the average salary for quality inspectors, identifying the highest-paying locations for this profession.
Quality Inspector Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for quality inspectors?
The highest-paid state for quality inspectors is Washington with an average salary of $51,367 per year.
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What city pays quality inspectors the most?
Minneapolis, MN pays quality inspectors the most with an average salary of $42,654 per year.
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What is the worst state for quality inspectors?
The worst state for quality inspectors is Mississippi with an average salary of $25,477 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
