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Job outlook for construction inspectors in the United States
Construction inspector job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected construction inspector job growth rate is -4% from 2018-2028.
About -5,700 new jobs for construction inspectors are projected over the next decade.
Construction inspector salaries have increased 7% for construction inspectors in the last 5 years.
There are over 22,721 construction inspectors currently employed in the United States.
There are 42,007 active construction inspector job openings in the US.
The average construction inspector salary is $52,306.
Are construction inspector jobs in demand?
Construction inspector job and salary trends over time
Construction inspector jobs over time
Construction inspector job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 22,721 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 21,939 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 21,293 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 20,072 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 19,054 | 0.01% |
Average construction inspector salary over time
Construction inspector salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $52,306 | $25.15 | +3.5% |
| 2025 | $50,517 | $24.29 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $49,676 | $23.88 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $49,169 | $23.64 | +1.0% |
| 2022 | $48,661 | $23.39 | +2.0% |
Construction inspector jobs by state
Most common states for construction inspectors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 88 | 12% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 85 | 12% |
| 3 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 114 | 11% |
| 4 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 138 | 10% |
| 5 | Vermont | 623,657 | 65 | 10% |
| 6 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 120 | 9% |
| 7 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 82 | 9% |
| 8 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 50 | 9% |
| 9 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 424 | 8% |
| 10 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 576 | 7% |
| 11 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 228 | 7% |
| 12 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 137 | 7% |
| 13 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 123 | 7% |
| 14 | Delaware | 961,939 | 66 | 7% |
| 15 | Alaska | 739,795 | 50 | 7% |
| 16 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 628 | 6% |
| 17 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 403 | 6% |
| 18 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 382 | 6% |
| 19 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 311 | 6% |
| 20 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 181 | 6% |
Most common cities for construction inspectors
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richmond | 3 | 9% | $36,892 |
| 2 | Baltimore | 11 | 2% | $50,767 |
| 3 | Hartford | 3 | 2% | $64,429 |
| 4 | San Francisco | 7 | 1% | $81,383 |
| 5 | Denver | 5 | 1% | $57,678 |
| 6 | Jacksonville | 5 | 1% | $46,361 |
| 7 | Atlanta | 4 | 1% | $39,923 |
| 8 | Oakland | 3 | 1% | $81,265 |
| 9 | Sacramento | 3 | 1% | $81,112 |
| 10 | Tampa | 3 | 1% | $46,754 |
| 11 | Urban Honolulu | 3 | 1% | $58,397 |
| 12 | Los Angeles | 6 | 0% | $76,536 |
| 13 | Indianapolis | 4 | 0% | $47,258 |
| 14 | San Diego | 4 | 0% | $75,556 |
| 15 | Chicago | 3 | 0% | $64,338 |
| 16 | Philadelphia | 3 | 0% | $45,443 |
Construction Inspector job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of construction inspector experts
Kennesaw State University
Arizona State University
National Tile Contractors Association
Neil Opfer
Assoc. Professor - UNLV Civil & Environmental Engineering & Construction DepartmentWhat Construction Inspector skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Neil Opfer: First off, know what competitive salaries are in your area of the country for the type of job you want as you never have to recover from a good start. Some companies, for instance, will offer salaries that are simply not competitive. As an example, a few years ago, we had one CM graduate starting at $70K per year at one firm (heavy-highway contractor) whereas another grad had been offered $42K per year for a commercial flooring contractor. That $42K was simply not competitive with the market whether that employer offering that salary knew it or not. Also, compare offers versus area living costs. Use cost-of-living calculators such as at bankrate.com If you, using this bankrate.com tool, were offered one job in Las Vegas NV at $80,000 per year versus another job opportunity in Los Angeles CA, you would need $122,000 per year as a comparable salary. Remember to measure yourself as to earning that salary on a regular basis. Don't take jobs where a bonus is promised to make up for a bad salary. Example here is taking a Superintendent Job where your Job ended up profitable but other jobs run by others overall didn't so taking that lower salary and not getting that bonus didn't work out so well. Again, benchmark yourself against what others in the industry in that same area are actually getting paid. If you truly feel you deserve a raise where you're at but can't get it you may need to change jobs to get to a higher salary scale. But that firm offering above-market salaries may be doing so because of internal problems (bad bosses, poor working conditions, insane hours, insane understaffing, etc.) so look before you leap. It's a given that to be successful as a working professional in construction, one cannot just work a 40-hour week. But you shouldn't be working 7-10s or more on a regular basis either. Again, through networking you perhaps can find out who are the 'bad employers.'
What general advice would you give to a Construction Inspector?
Neil Opfer: Remember that in a CM Program you have spent 4 years of your life (or more) studying books and learning the "theory of construction." But this is the start of your education and not the end. The best quote here (not from me) is "Success is a journey, not a destination." Sadly I have classmates that I graduated with years ago who, once they graduated, never cracked a book. Also remember that construction in many respects is an incredibly-varied field and you will, perhaps if working for a GC or a CM firm, never know as much as that electrician or plumber knows about their craft or that trade contractor knows about their specialty. But insofar as possible you need to learn and absorb as much as possible about these other areas. Otherwise you'll lead a life of ignorance and designers and contractors will, sadly, take advantage of your ignorance. When I was in college (1974), my Dorm President told me, "Everyone is ignorant about something but the stupid person works at being ignorant." Don't work at being ignorant. Also, respect everyone on the job from laborer, carpenter, on up because you can learn something from everyone along the way in your career. You, remember, are lucky in that as a college grad you're in the 37% or so of the U.S. population with a college degree but CM is a STEM field because of the math, physics, and construction-science coursework you take. Only 18% of the U.S. population have STEM degrees so you're in even a more select field with your technical education. But those on the construction site who did not have an opportunity to go to college may resent you or they've had bad experiences with college grads who "lorded over them" the fact that they were a college grad and the craft personnel on the job were not. Advice to a new college graduate in CM would be to remember (not original with me but a great axiom) that (1) you are hired for your technical skills, (2) promoted for your leadership/managerial skills, and (3) fired for your lack of people skills. Do a good job at whatever you do and look for opportunities to improve processes when possible. Realize that as a new grad you'll often get the jobs that more senior people don't want. Also, realize that your job is partly "paying your dues" to get the chance at more interesting jobs in the future. Learn to network with others in your firm and those at other firms including being involved in professional associations and civic/charitable work. Ensure that your supervisors know the extras (prof associations, civic work) you are doing outside of work. Finally the old adage of a "sound mind in a sound body" means to continually improve yourself on both a mental and a physical basis.
Irish Horsey Ph.D.
Interim Chair of the Department of Construction Management and Assistant ProfessorKennesaw State University
Department of Construction Management
What soft skills should all Construction Inspectors possess?
Irish Horsey Ph.D.: Leadership and communication are among the most essential skills of a construction manager. Construction managers are responsible for ensuring that projects are built safely on schedule, within budget, and to the quality outlined in the drawings and specifications. To fulfill these responsibilities, construction managers must lead multiple teams, including primary, secondary, and third party players, on a construction project through effective oral and written communications.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Construction Inspectors?
Irish Horsey Ph.D.: Construction Managers are project managers with specialized technical skills. Construction managers' most important technical skills are print reading, estimating, scheduling, project and technology management.
What's a good job out of college for Construction Inspectors?
Kristen Parrish Ph.D.: I think a good job out of college, regardless of industry, is one that leverages your skills and compensates you for those skills. I think that in construction, the industry I'm most familiar with, there is no shortage of good jobs. You can work onsite, as an assistant superintendent or a project engineer, after college. If you're more interested in the office side of the construction industry, then a good job may be in the estimating department, or in the business development and marketing departments. I think new graduates will see that, unlike in 2008-2009, the requisite experience for joining a new company is pretty minimal. During the Great Recession, most companies prioritized hiring people with existing relationships in the construction industry, so students faced a tough market. However, today, if a graduate is entering the construction industry in a market that is healthy (like Phoenix), then being "green" is not an impediment -- plenty of companies are hiring young talent.
What general advice would you give to a Construction Inspector?
Becky Serbin: Skill requirements are stated on our recruitment flyer, attached, but will ultimately be decided on by the hiring contractor. Beyond our flyer, many also require a valid drivers license.
What type of skills will young Construction Inspectors need?
Becky Serbin: Tile contractors are hiring across the U.S. and using several different online job posting sites. We even have an online form that those interested in the trade can fill out. When we receive them, they are forwarded to members in their area. If the person is located in an area where there is a union presence, they can even contact that office for job opportunities.