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What is an engineering construction inspector and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Kishor Shrestha Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, LEED Green Assoc.
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No faulty building gets past the engineering construction inspector. The engineering construction inspector reviews the building plans and ensures everything is up to code. They perform regular assessments during construction, keeping check of compliance to contract specifications and local ordinances. Their inspections include plumbing systems, electrical wiring, and all relevant components of the constructed facility.

Most employers require their engineering construction inspectors to at least have a college diploma. We found that employed American inspectors commonly hold degrees in civil engineering, construction management, and business.

On average, engineering construction inspector in the United States earn a yearly salary of roughly about $40,000. That's more or less $22 an hour. Suppose you want to cash in a bigger paycheck. In that case, you might want to look for employers that offer more competitive salaries like Merrick & Co, Jacobs Engineering Group, and Stantec, which pay $52,000 or more to their engineering construction inspectors on average.

What general advice would you give to an engineering construction inspector?

Kishor Shrestha Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, LEED Green Assoc.Kishor Shrestha Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, LEED Green Assoc. LinkedIn profile

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Construction engineering is a promising profession to enter now due to various factors. There is a growing demand for public infrastructure projects globally, leading to increased opportunities. Advanced technology like Building Information Modeling (BIM) and sustainable construction practices are transforming and creating new professions. This career offers competitive salaries and the chance to work on diverse projects, making it an attractive choice.
ScoreEngineering Construction InspectorUS Average
Salary
4.0

Avg. Salary $51,630

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.4

Growth rate -4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.90%

Asian 3.41%

Black or African American 8.33%

Hispanic or Latino 13.06%

Unknown 5.75%

White 68.56%

Gender

female 9.07%

male 90.93%

Age - 52
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 52
Stress level
7.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.4

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Engineering construction inspector career paths

Key steps to become an engineering construction inspector

  1. Explore engineering construction inspector education requirements

    Most common engineering construction inspector degrees

    Bachelor's

    68.9 %

    Associate

    16.5 %

    Master's

    7.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific engineering construction inspector skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Construction Projects12.35%
    Construction Sites10.66%
    Asphalt9.05%
    ACI6.90%
    Highway Construction6.65%
  3. Complete relevant engineering construction inspector training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New engineering construction inspectors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an engineering construction inspector based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real engineering construction inspector resumes.
  4. Research engineering construction inspector duties and responsibilities

    • Coordinate, manage, and conduct geotechnical engineering and engineering geology subsurface investigations.
    • Inspect general construction, plumbing, and electrical.
    • Calculate quantities of asphalt and concrete place and remove from construction job sites on a monthly basis.
    • Perform density tests, earthwork monitoring, geotechnical investigations.
  5. Prepare your engineering construction inspector resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your engineering construction inspector resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an engineering construction inspector resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable engineering construction inspector resume templates

    Build a professional engineering construction inspector resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your engineering construction inspector resume.
    Engineering Construction Inspector Resume
    Engineering Construction Inspector Resume
    Engineering Construction Inspector Resume
    Engineering Construction Inspector Resume
    Engineering Construction Inspector Resume
    Engineering Construction Inspector Resume
    Engineering Construction Inspector Resume
    Engineering Construction Inspector Resume
    Engineering Construction Inspector Resume
  6. Apply for engineering construction inspector jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an engineering construction inspector job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first engineering construction inspector job

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Average engineering construction inspector salary

The average engineering construction inspector salary in the United States is $51,630 per year or $25 per hour. Engineering construction inspector salaries range between $35,000 and $74,000 per year.

Average engineering construction inspector salary
$51,630 Yearly
$24.82 hourly

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How do engineering construction inspectors rate their job?

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Engineering construction inspector reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019
Pros

See & guard that the public/goverment in general get the right construction methodology in public works horizontal & vertical construction from its material to application.

Cons

wasting of citizen/government money in wrong doing during its construction project implementation.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019
Cons

The most difficult part of the job if finding the time to write out coherent reports in a timely manner. I try to get mine completed in less than 2 weeks from the visit. But some visits may have reports that can take 4-6 hours to complete accurately. I work with large and small employers and everything in between. Even after decades of working I sometimes run into things I have never seen before, so I often find myself researching and reaching out to colleagues for insight. ( for instance, I was once set to do a Worker's Comp evaluation on employees working on a monkey farm. So a lot of research on live stock and specific hazards that go along with working with that specific type of animal.) It has never gotten old or boring, that's for sure.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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