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As of October 2025, the average construction inspector salary in the United States is approximately $52,306 annually, which translates to around $25 per hour. Factors such as experience, geographical location, and the specific industry you work in can significantly influence this figure.
Entry-level construction inspectors typically earn less than their more experienced counterparts. For instance, those with less than five years of experience might earn around $42,000 annually, while seasoned professionals can command salaries exceeding $65,000.
States such as California, New York, and Texas tend to offer the most competitive salaries for construction inspectors. In these regions, inspectors often benefit from higher living standards and more extensive project opportunities.
As construction projects increase, the demand for qualified inspectors is expected to grow. This trend indicates a stable career path with opportunities for advancement into senior roles or specialized fields.
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The highest-paying states for construction inspectors are California, Montana, and Washington. The lowest average construction inspector salary states are Arizona, Wisconsin, and Louisiana.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | $74,050 | $35.60 |
| 2 | South Dakota | $71,549 | $34.40 |
| 3 | Maine | $63,881 | $30.71 |
| 4 | Nevada | $64,091 | $30.81 |
| 5 | California | $77,718 | $37.36 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $59,369 | $28.54 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $62,611 | $30.10 |
| 8 | Washington | $72,638 | $34.92 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $58,171 | $27.97 |
| 10 | Vermont | $60,863 | $29.26 |
| 11 | Iowa | $58,402 | $28.08 |
| 12 | Utah | $60,919 | $29.29 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $58,464 | $28.11 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $70,987 | $34.13 |
| 15 | Delaware | $62,977 | $30.28 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $64,700 | $31.11 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $63,715 | $30.63 |
| 18 | Colorado | $57,674 | $27.73 |
| 19 | Illinois | $64,215 | $30.87 |
| 20 | Alaska | $56,918 | $27.36 |
| 21 | Kansas | $58,184 | $27.97 |
| 22 | Michigan | $55,935 | $26.89 |
| 23 | North Carolina | $53,399 | $25.67 |
| 24 | Missouri | $57,847 | $27.81 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $55,492 | $26.68 |
| 26 | Ohio | $53,666 | $25.80 |
| 27 | Oregon | $56,791 | $27.30 |
| 28 | Idaho | $50,590 | $24.32 |
| 29 | New York | $60,340 | $29.01 |
| 30 | Hawaii | $58,366 | $28.06 |
| 31 | Minnesota | $56,643 | $27.23 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $48,733 | $23.43 |
| 33 | Mississippi | $48,674 | $23.40 |
| 34 | Massachusetts | $58,762 | $28.25 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $52,900 | $25.43 |
| 36 | Alabama | $48,675 | $23.40 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $48,460 | $23.30 |
| 38 | Indiana | $47,456 | $22.82 |
| 39 | Florida | $46,693 | $22.45 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $45,513 | $21.88 |
| 41 | Texas | $47,338 | $22.76 |
| 42 | Maryland | $50,571 | $24.31 |
| 43 | Virginia | $46,742 | $22.47 |
| 44 | Arizona | $43,898 | $21.10 |
| 45 | Pennsylvania | $45,164 | $21.71 |
| 46 | District of Columbia | $46,799 | $22.50 |
| 47 | Georgia | $39,862 | $19.16 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $43,686 | $21.00 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $43,146 | $20.74 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $36,821 | $17.70 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $42,755 | $20.56 |
The highest-paying cities for construction inspectors are Oakland, CA, Olympia, WA, and Chicago, IL.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | $81,265 | $39.07 |
| 2 | Olympia, WA | $73,297 | $35.24 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $64,338 | $30.93 |
| 4 | Las Vegas, NV | $63,713 | $30.63 |
| 5 | Providence, RI | $63,625 | $30.59 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $60,438 | $29.06 |
| 7 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $58,397 | $28.08 |
| 8 | Kansas City, KS | $58,100 | $27.93 |
| 9 | Kansas City, MO | $57,907 | $27.84 |
| 10 | Colorado Springs, CO | $57,728 | $27.75 |
| 11 | Portland, OR | $56,634 | $27.23 |
| 12 | Albuquerque, NM | $55,602 | $26.73 |
| 13 | Raleigh, NC | $53,821 | $25.88 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | $53,207 | $25.58 |
| 15 | Little Rock, AR | $52,967 | $25.46 |
| 16 | Baltimore, MD | $50,767 | $24.41 |
| 17 | San Antonio, TX | $47,487 | $22.83 |
| 18 | Indianapolis, IN | $47,258 | $22.72 |
| 19 | Washington, DC | $46,857 | $22.53 |
| 20 | Virginia Beach, VA | $46,777 | $22.49 |
A construction inspector's salary ranges from $36,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $75,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $75,000 | $6,250 | $36 |
| 75th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| Average | $52,306 | $4,359 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
The highest paying types of construction inspectors are construction manager, construction supervisor, and chief inspector.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prestressed Concrete Labour | $34,147 | $2,846 | $16.42 | 27,259 |
| Concrete Finisher | $40,674 | $3,389 | $19.55 | 15,309 |
| General Foreman | $48,517 | $4,043 | $23.33 | 49,875 |
| Project Supervisor | $53,609 | $4,467 | $25.77 | 20,450 |
| Finish Carpenter | $46,987 | $3,916 | $22.59 | 11,653 |
| Lead Carpenter | $49,228 | $4,102 | $23.67 | 6,359 |
Top companies hiring construction inspectors now:
Construction inspector salaries at Orange County Sanitation District and Santa Clara Valley Water District are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average construction inspector salary at companies like Parsons and STV Group are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orange County Sanitation District | $95,396 | $45.86 |
| 2 | Santa Clara Valley Water District | $93,834 | $45.11 |
| 3 | Parsons | $84,301 | $40.53 |
| 4 | STV Group | $77,302 | $37.16 |
| 5 | University of California-Berkeley | $75,744 | $36.42 |
| 6 | Hill International | $72,916 | $35.06 |
| 7 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $72,610 | $34.91 |
| 8 | Ramboll | $71,121 | $34.19 |
| 9 | University of California | $70,044 | $33.67 |
| 10 | Arcadis | $69,035 | $33.19 |
| 11 | Crown Castle International | $67,355 | $32.38 |
| 12 | T.Y. Lin International | $66,681 | $32.06 |
| 13 | Civil & Environmental Consultants | $66,296 | $31.87 |
| 14 | Intertek | $66,001 | $31.73 |
| 15 | Gannett Fleming | $65,793 | $31.63 |
| 16 | AECOM | $65,397 | $31.44 |
| 17 | City of Detroit | $64,968 | $31.23 |
| 18 | Black & Veatch | $64,936 | $31.22 |
| 19 | HDR | $64,490 | $31.00 |
| 20 | Environmental Design Group | $64,477 | $31.00 |
The average construction inspector salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $62,629 | $30.11 |
| 2 | Technology | $61,705 | $29.67 |
| 3 | Construction | $60,177 | $28.93 |
| 4 | Government | $51,663 | $24.84 |
The average construction inspector salary has risen by $8,055 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average construction inspector earned $44,251 annually, but today, they earn $52,306 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for construction inspectors over the last decade.
Compare construction inspector salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare construction inspector salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $52,300 | $25.15 | +3.4% |
| 2025 | $50,500 | $24.29 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $49,700 | $23.88 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $49,200 | $23.64 | +1.0% |
| 2022 | $48,700 | $23.39 | +1.9% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parsons | Construction Inspector-Rail and Transit | New York, NY | 06/30/2025 | $100,900 |
| City of Gainesville | Wspp Construction Inspector and Operations Coordinator | Gainesville, FL | 06/30/2025 | $50,000 |
| Rocksol Consulting Group, Inc. | Construction Inspector | Denver, CO | 06/30/2025 | $62,610 |
| Beta | Construction Inspector | Rhode Island | 06/30/2025 | $75,000 |
| Gannett Fleming | Senior Construction Inspector | Richmond, VA | 06/29/2025 | $85,000 |
| Wsp USA Buildings Inc. | Construction Inspector | Merritt Island, FL | 06/29/2025 | $61,400 |
| Arcadis | Construction Inspector Ptan (Water/Wastewater) | Boca Raton, FL | 06/29/2025 | $73,045 |
| Mark Thomas & Company | Construction Inspector | Irvine, CA | 06/29/2025 | $104,350 |
| Consoreng | Construction Inspector | Stockton, CA | 06/29/2025 | $135,655 |
| Get It-Real Estate | Construction Inspector-Powerhouse-Remote | WFH | Wenatchee, WA | 06/29/2025 | $73,045 |
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