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The differences between building officials and electrical inspectors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a building official and an electrical inspector. Additionally, a building official has an average salary of $46,398, which is higher than the $43,943 average annual salary of an electrical inspector.
The top three skills for a building official include community development, code compliance and plumbing. The most important skills for an electrical inspector are inspection reports, electrical equipment, and electrical code.
| Building Official | Electrical Inspector | |
| Yearly salary | $46,398 | $43,943 |
| Hourly rate | $22.31 | $21.13 |
| Growth rate | -4% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 4,912 | 42,321 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A building official has the authority to enforce building codes within their jurisdiction. Usually working for government agencies, a building official is in charge of conducting building inspections to determine if the construction complies with the safety standards and regulations. They may also approve or deny permit applications, review requirements, and verify documents. Moreover, a building official also has managerial office duties such as supervising and leading staff to reach goals, setting daily objectives and guidelines, establishing timelines, delegating responsibilities among teams, and implementing policies and regulations.
An electrical inspector ensures that an establishment's wiring and other electrical components are working properly and hazard free for those who will occupy the space. The tasks of being an electrical inspector include determining electrical hazards and checking if there are any uncovered permanent or if there are any outdated wiring. They test the safety switches and examine the power box, and test the place's lighting and source of power. Their responsibilities may involve the evaluation of the electrical service's level especially the DIY wiring and noting and testing of smoke alarm location. Also, they make sure that all electrical items in the area comply with government regulations.
Building officials and electrical inspectors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Building Official | Electrical Inspector | |
| Average salary | $46,398 | $43,943 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $89,000 | Between $28,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Riverside, CA | Hollister, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | University of California | City of Detroit |
| Best paying industry | Government | Construction |
There are a few differences between a building official and an electrical inspector in terms of educational background:
| Building Official | Electrical Inspector | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | San Diego State University | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between building officials' and electrical inspectors' demographics:
| Building Official | Electrical Inspector | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.2% Female, 9.8% | Male, 94.2% Female, 5.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 3.4% White, 69.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 3.4% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |