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Code inspector salary
Average code inspector salary
$49,224
Average Code Inspector Salary
The average salary for a Code Inspector as of October 2025 is $49,224 per year or approximately $24 per hour. This role plays a critical part in enforcing building codes and ensuring public safety. Factors influencing salary include geographic location, experience level, and specific job duties.
Code Inspector Salaries by Experience Level
Entry-level positions typically start at around $38,000, while experienced inspectors can earn upwards of $60,000 annually, depending on their expertise and the complexity of the inspections they perform.
Highest Paying States and Cities
Code Inspectors in states such as California and New York tend to earn higher salaries, reflecting the demand for skilled inspectors in urban areas. Cities like Los Angeles and New York City offer some of the highest compensation levels in the country.
Career Opportunities
Advancing in this field often leads to opportunities in project management or specialized inspection roles. Continuous education and certification can enhance job prospects and salary potential.
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Where can a Code Inspector earn more?
Code inspector salaries by experience level
Average code inspector salary by state
The highest-paying states for code inspectors are California, Montana, and New Jersey. The lowest average code inspector salary states are Georgia, Louisiana, and Idaho.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for code inspectors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | $61,900 | $29.76 |
| 2 | California | $72,878 | $35.04 |
| 3 | Maine | $53,238 | $25.60 |
| 4 | Nevada | $53,293 | $25.62 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $57,593 | $27.69 |
| 6 | Vermont | $50,600 | $24.33 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $49,124 | $23.62 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $53,306 | $25.63 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $53,660 | $25.80 |
| 10 | Michigan | $50,372 | $24.22 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $57,914 | $27.84 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $51,585 | $24.80 |
| 13 | Iowa | $52,021 | $25.01 |
| 14 | Washington | $55,095 | $26.49 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $52,251 | $25.12 |
| 16 | Delaware | $55,468 | $26.67 |
| 17 | Arizona | $48,322 | $23.23 |
| 18 | Kansas | $49,181 | $23.64 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $47,835 | $23.00 |
| 20 | Alaska | $52,821 | $25.39 |
| 21 | Virginia | $47,162 | $22.67 |
| 22 | Mississippi | $42,018 | $20.20 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $42,568 | $20.47 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $47,490 | $22.83 |
| 25 | Colorado | $43,205 | $20.77 |
| 26 | Illinois | $48,160 | $23.15 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $41,885 | $20.14 |
| 28 | Arkansas | $44,811 | $21.54 |
| 29 | Missouri | $44,232 | $21.27 |
| 30 | Hawaii | $52,170 | $25.08 |
| 31 | Alabama | $42,246 | $20.31 |
| 32 | Maryland | $44,878 | $21.58 |
| 33 | Ohio | $40,070 | $19.26 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $39,695 | $19.08 |
| 35 | Florida | $40,578 | $19.51 |
| 36 | Indiana | $39,087 | $18.79 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $39,951 | $19.21 |
| 38 | Oregon | $45,736 | $21.99 |
| 39 | New York | $40,699 | $19.57 |
| 40 | Texas | $40,490 | $19.47 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $41,815 | $20.10 |
| 42 | Rhode Island | $41,146 | $19.78 |
| 43 | Utah | $40,408 | $19.43 |
| 44 | Georgia | $36,028 | $17.32 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $37,785 | $18.17 |
| 46 | District of Columbia | $41,765 | $20.08 |
| 47 | Idaho | $35,700 | $17.16 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $33,173 | $15.95 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $34,633 | $16.65 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $35,866 | $17.24 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $33,156 | $15.94 |
Highest paying cities for code inspectors
The highest-paying cities for code inspectors are Oxnard, CA, Schaumburg, IL, and Arlington, VA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oxnard, CA | $73,357 | $35.27 |
| 2 | Schaumburg, IL | $48,390 | $23.26 |
| 3 | Arlington, VA | $47,472 | $22.82 |
| 4 | Eugene, OR | $46,118 | $22.17 |
| 5 | Annapolis, MD | $45,008 | $21.64 |
| 6 | Oak Ridge, TN | $43,481 | $20.90 |
| 7 | Greeley, CO | $43,261 | $20.80 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $41,372 | $19.89 |
| 9 | Allentown, PA | $39,775 | $19.12 |
| 10 | Covington, KY | $33,879 | $16.29 |
Code inspector salary details
A code inspector's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $72,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a code inspector's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
| 75th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
| Average | $49,224 | $4,102 | $24 |
| 25th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
Highest paying code inspector jobs
The highest paying types of code inspectors are construction analyst, building code administrator, and project inspector.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plans Examiner | $59,697 | $4,975 | $28.70 | 4,018 |
| Construction Analyst | $78,452 | $6,538 | $37.72 | 36,179 |
| Engineering Construction Inspector | $51,630 | $4,303 | $24.82 | 95,430 |
| Residential Building Inspector | $48,597 | $4,050 | $23.36 | 28,745 |
| Utility Inspector | $43,725 | $3,644 | $21.02 | 23,106 |
| Electrical Inspector | $43,943 | $3,662 | $21.13 | 42,321 |
Top companies hiring code inspectors now:
Which companies pay code inspectors the most?
Code inspector salaries at Arlington County, VA and Bechtel Corporation are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average code inspector salary at companies like Central Lakes College and Anne Arundel County Public Schools are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arlington County, VA | $56,411 | $27.12 |
| 2 | Bechtel Corporation | $55,862 | $26.86 |
| 3 | Central Lakes College | $54,228 | $26.07 |
| 4 | Anne Arundel County Public Schools | $52,828 | $25.40 |
| 5 | City of Austin | $52,329 | $25.16 |
| 6 | City of Hampton | $51,932 | $24.97 |
| 7 | Bureau Veritas | $51,633 | $24.82 |
| 8 | Lehigh Valley Health Network | $49,411 | $23.76 |
| 9 | City of Covington | $49,401 | $23.75 |
| 10 | City of Roanoke, Virginia - Government | $49,111 | $23.61 |
| 11 | City of Mesquite, TX | $48,217 | $23.18 |
| 12 | City of Pittsburgh | $47,885 | $23.02 |
| 13 | City of Richmond | $47,772 | $22.97 |
| 14 | Prince William County | $47,430 | $22.80 |
| 15 | State Bar of Michigan | $44,121 | $21.21 |
| 16 | City of Glendale, CA | $43,440 | $20.88 |
| 17 | Missouri City Hall | $42,689 | $20.52 |
| 18 | City of Norfolk | $42,369 | $20.37 |
| 19 | Village of Schaumburg | $41,602 | $20.00 |
| 20 | City of Greeley | $41,067 | $19.74 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Code inspector salary trends
The average code inspector salary has risen by $7,580 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average code inspector earned $41,644 annually, but today, they earn $49,224 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for code inspectors over the last decade.
Compare code inspector salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average code inspector salary over time
Compare code inspector salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Code inspector salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $49,200 | $23.67 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $47,500 | $22.86 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $46,700 | $22.48 | +1.0% |
| 2022 | $46,300 | $22.25 | +1.0% |
| 2021 | $45,800 | $22.02 | +1.9% |
Recently added code inspector salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safebuilt | Code Enforcement Inspector | Minneapolis, MN | 06/26/2025 | $41,740 |
| City of Glendale | Code Compliance Inspector | Glendale, AZ | 06/26/2025 | $57,241 |
| City of Glendale, Az | Code Compliance Inspector | Glendale, AZ | 06/25/2025 | $57,241 |
| Brunswick County | Multi-Trades Inspector-Code Administration | Bolivia, NC | 06/21/2025 | $52,572 |
| State of Kentucky | Life Safety Code Inspector | Kentucky | 06/21/2025 | $41,952 |
| Chatham County, Ga | Codes Inspector I | Savannah, GA | 06/20/2025 | $48,022 |
| City of Charlotte, Nc | Code Enforcement Inspector | Charlotte, NC | 06/17/2025 | $56,224 |
| City of Gresham | Code Compliance Inspector or Senior Code Compliance Inspector | Gresham, OR | 06/17/2025 | $79,870 |
| City of Chattanooga | Code Enforcement Inspector 1 | Chattanooga, TN | 06/12/2025 | $39,486 |
| City of Pontiac | Code Enforcement Inspector | Pontiac, MI | 06/12/2025 | $60,210 |
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