The job of the plans examiner is to review construction plans to make sure that proper legal codes are followed. This individual is responsible for ensuring that new construction meets the criteria laid out by public safety and health standards.
Plans examiners look at blueprints for both residential and commercial properties. Their specific duties and responsibilities are to evaluate zoning compliance, work with architects, builders, and homeowners to obtain compliance, make recommendations for whether or not to issue permits, and sometimes supervise individuals who research codes and zoning ordinances. A high school diploma or GED equivalent is required to start a career as a plans examiner. Moreover, certifications from certain institutions, such as the ICC and OIC, may be required.
The average hourly salary for the position is $28.14, which equates to $58,523 annually. The career is expected to grow substantially in the near future and create new opportunities across the United States. As long as new buildings are being constructed, the job of a plans examiner will stay relevant.
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a plans examiner. For example, did you know that they make an average of $28.14 an hour? That's $58,523 a year!
Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 7% and produce 7,700 job opportunities across the U.S.
There are certain skills that many plans examiners have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed communication skills, craft experience and mechanical knowledge.
When it comes to the most important skills required to be a plans examiner, we found that a lot of resumes listed 10.7% of plans examiners included ensure compliance, while 10.3% of resumes included customer service, and 9.5% of resumes included construction projects. Hard skills like these are helpful to have when it comes to performing essential job responsibilities.
When it comes to searching for a job, many search for a key term or phrase. Instead, it might be more helpful to search by industry, as you might be missing jobs that you never thought about in industries that you didn't even think offered positions related to the plans examiner job title. But what industry to start with? Most plans examiners actually find jobs in the government and hospitality industries.
If you're interested in becoming a plans examiner, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 50.7% of plans examiners have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 11.9% of plans examiners have master's degrees. Even though most plans examiners have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Choosing the right major is always an important step when researching how to become a plans examiner. When we researched the most common majors for a plans examiner, we found that they most commonly earn bachelor's degree degrees or associate degree degrees. Other degrees that we often see on plans examiner resumes include master's degree degrees or high school diploma degrees.
You may find that experience in other jobs will help you become a plans examiner. In fact, many plans examiner jobs require experience in a role such as building inspector. Meanwhile, many plans examiners also have previous career experience in roles such as project manager or internship.