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The differences between combination building inspectors and plans examiners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a combination building inspector and a plans examiner. Additionally, a plans examiner has an average salary of $59,697, which is higher than the $48,326 average annual salary of a combination building inspector.
The top three skills for a combination building inspector include plumbing, community development and inspection results. The most important skills for a plans examiner are plumbing, customer service, and life safety.
| Combination Building Inspector | Plans Examiner | |
| Yearly salary | $48,326 | $59,697 |
| Hourly rate | $23.23 | $28.70 |
| Growth rate | -4% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 20,989 | 4,018 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Combination Building Inspectors are responsible for inspecting buildings at various construction stages in ensuring compliance with building codes, policies, regulations, and permits. Their duties include performing field inspection of foundations, wiring, plumbing, framing, structural integrity, repairs, and gas installations. They are also involved in validating legal conformance, guiding for corrective actions, attending to building code questions, conducting a final inspection for occupancy, and issuing an occupancy certificate.
A plans examiner is typically in charge of evaluating construction or work plans, ensuring compliance with regulations and zoning ordinances. Their responsibilities revolve around gathering and reviewing applications and documentation, verifying the accuracy and authenticity of requirements, and assuring that they adhere to the safety policies and standards. Furthermore, as a plans examiner, it is essential to liaise with clients and other officials, maintain records of all transactions, and provide advice on whether the applications are suitable for permits.
Combination building inspectors and plans examiners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Combination Building Inspector | Plans Examiner | |
| Average salary | $48,326 | $59,697 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $85,000 | Between $41,000 And $85,000 |
| Highest paying City | Salinas, CA | Fairfield, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | City of Las Vegas | Icma-rc |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a combination building inspector and a plans examiner in terms of educational background:
| Combination Building Inspector | Plans Examiner | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Property Management | Architecture |
| Most common college | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities | University of Minnesota - Twin Cities |
Here are the differences between combination building inspectors' and plans examiners' demographics:
| Combination Building Inspector | Plans Examiner | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.0% Female, 9.0% | Male, 73.7% Female, 26.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.7% Asian, 3.5% White, 68.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 3.4% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |