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Lead inspector salary
Average lead inspector salary
$51,148
Understanding Lead Inspector Salaries
The average salary for a lead inspector stands at approximately $51,148 per year. This figure may vary depending on various factors, including geographic location, level of experience, and the specific industry. For instance, lead inspectors in high-demand states like California and Texas often command higher salaries due to the increased need for compliance and safety oversight in construction and manufacturing sectors.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level positions typically start lower, around $40,000, while inspectors with several years of experience can earn upwards of $70,000 annually. This progression reflects the growing responsibilities and expertise required in the field.
Top Paying Cities
Cities like San Francisco, New York, and Seattle offer some of the highest salaries for lead inspectors, often exceeding the national average. These urban centers provide a wealth of opportunities, contributing to a competitive job market.
For those seeking advancement, acquiring additional certifications can enhance earning potential and open doors to supervisory roles.
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Where can a Lead Inspector earn more?
Lead inspector salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level lead inspector | $30,300 | $14.58 |
| Mid-level lead inspector | $48,400 | $23.25 |
| Senior-level lead inspector | $63,900 | $30.73 |
Average lead inspector salary by state
The highest-paying states for lead inspectors are Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Washington. The lowest average lead inspector salary states are North Carolina, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for lead inspectors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska | $56,319 | $27.08 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $71,886 | $34.56 |
| 3 | New Mexico | $54,645 | $26.27 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $66,622 | $32.03 |
| 5 | Nevada | $53,759 | $25.85 |
| 6 | Montana | $53,766 | $25.85 |
| 7 | Louisiana | $60,658 | $29.16 |
| 8 | South Dakota | $52,386 | $25.19 |
| 9 | Washington | $65,876 | $31.67 |
| 10 | Virginia | $58,534 | $28.14 |
| 11 | Arizona | $55,407 | $26.64 |
| 12 | Oklahoma | $51,672 | $24.84 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $57,260 | $27.53 |
| 14 | Alaska | $56,214 | $27.03 |
| 15 | California | $59,619 | $28.66 |
| 16 | Idaho | $50,120 | $24.10 |
| 17 | Texas | $53,228 | $25.59 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $51,777 | $24.89 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $52,459 | $25.22 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $57,272 | $27.53 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $50,737 | $24.39 |
| 22 | Maryland | $55,656 | $26.76 |
| 23 | Ohio | $49,466 | $23.78 |
| 24 | Utah | $51,447 | $24.73 |
| 25 | New York | $54,318 | $26.11 |
| 26 | Maine | $47,957 | $23.06 |
| 27 | Vermont | $49,142 | $23.63 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $49,494 | $23.80 |
| 29 | Kansas | $46,404 | $22.31 |
| 30 | Colorado | $49,900 | $23.99 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $47,139 | $22.66 |
| 32 | Iowa | $50,186 | $24.13 |
| 33 | Delaware | $51,859 | $24.93 |
| 34 | Indiana | $46,002 | $22.12 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $46,984 | $22.59 |
| 36 | Illinois | $51,210 | $24.62 |
| 37 | Florida | $47,738 | $22.95 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $44,403 | $21.35 |
| 39 | District of Columbia | $54,794 | $26.34 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $45,523 | $21.89 |
| 41 | Oregon | $51,119 | $24.58 |
| 42 | Michigan | $43,405 | $20.87 |
| 43 | Missouri | $47,484 | $22.83 |
| 44 | Minnesota | $48,304 | $23.22 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $47,090 | $22.64 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $44,029 | $21.17 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $41,294 | $19.85 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $43,417 | $20.87 |
| 49 | Georgia | $40,300 | $19.38 |
| 50 | Wisconsin | $42,730 | $20.54 |
| 51 | Alabama | $41,117 | $19.77 |
Highest paying cities for lead inspectors
The highest-paying cities for lead inspectors are West Hartford, CT, Marysville, WA, and Andover, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Hartford, CT | $71,408 | $34.33 |
| 2 | Marysville, WA | $66,214 | $31.83 |
| 3 | Andover, MA | $65,531 | $31.51 |
| 4 | Fremont, CA | $61,202 | $29.42 |
| 5 | Phoenix, AZ | $55,423 | $26.65 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $54,842 | $26.37 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $54,552 | $26.23 |
| 8 | Reno, NV | $54,441 | $26.17 |
| 9 | Fort Worth, TX | $52,588 | $25.28 |
| 10 | Oklahoma City, OK | $52,113 | $25.05 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $51,344 | $24.68 |
| 12 | Meridian, ID | $50,439 | $24.25 |
| 13 | Englewood, CO | $49,894 | $23.99 |
| 14 | Saint Louis, MO | $47,556 | $22.86 |
| 15 | Orlando, FL | $47,387 | $22.78 |
| 16 | Richmond, KY | $47,249 | $22.72 |
| 17 | Memphis, TN | $45,997 | $22.11 |
| 18 | Bloomington, IN | $45,333 | $21.79 |
| 19 | Rocky Mount, NC | $43,964 | $21.14 |
| 20 | Savannah, GA | $40,563 | $19.50 |
Lead inspector salary details
A lead inspector's salary ranges from $35,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $73,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a lead inspector's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
| 75th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| Average | $51,148 | $4,262 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
Highest paying lead inspector jobs
The highest paying types of lead inspectors are chief inspector, senior inspector, and weld inspector.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test Operator | $35,591 | $2,966 | $17.11 | 63,674 |
| Quality Assurance Inspector | $36,842 | $3,070 | $17.71 | 74,410 |
| Quality Control Inspector | $35,018 | $2,918 | $16.84 | 92,794 |
| Inspector General | $48,026 | $4,002 | $23.09 | 58,208 |
| Certified Welding Inspector | $47,494 | $3,958 | $22.83 | 50,814 |
| Receiving Inspector | $39,175 | $3,265 | $18.83 | 24,791 |
Top companies hiring lead inspectors now:
Which companies pay lead inspectors the most?
Lead inspector salaries at Parsons and Fortune Brands Home & Security are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average lead inspector salary at companies like Pfizer and TRC Companies are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parsons | $66,323 | $31.89 |
| 2 | Fortune Brands Home & Security | $64,329 | $30.93 |
| 3 | Pfizer | $60,779 | $29.22 |
| 4 | TRC Companies | $57,058 | $27.43 |
| 5 | Aurora Flight Sciences | $56,286 | $27.06 |
| 6 | Lockheed Martin | $55,879 | $26.86 |
| 7 | SpaceX | $55,571 | $26.72 |
| 8 | Safran | $55,319 | $26.60 |
| 9 | TranSystems | $54,799 | $26.35 |
| 10 | Swagelok Company | $54,685 | $26.29 |
| 11 | General Dynamics | $54,243 | $26.08 |
| 12 | Raytheon Technologies | $54,236 | $26.07 |
| 13 | Kaman | $53,965 | $25.94 |
| 14 | Belcan | $53,088 | $25.52 |
| 15 | MetalTek International | $52,520 | $25.25 |
| 16 | Cabot Microelectronics | $52,151 | $25.07 |
| 17 | Wsp USA Buildings Inc. | $51,691 | $24.85 |
| 18 | SMC | $51,606 | $24.81 |
| 19 | Culp | $51,371 | $24.70 |
| 20 | AAR | $50,637 | $24.34 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Lead Inspector salary by industry
The average lead inspector salary varies across industries:
- The average lead inspector salary in the energy industry is $67,608, the highest of any industry.
- The average lead inspector salary in the finance industry is $56,762.
- Lead inspectors in the professional industry earn an average salary of $42,828, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for lead inspectors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energy | $67,608 | $32.50 |
| 2 | Non Profits | $56,762 | $27.29 |
| 3 | Government | $53,789 | $25.86 |
| 4 | Technology | $53,177 | $25.57 |
| 5 | Construction | $50,797 | $24.42 |
| 6 | Manufacturing | $49,482 | $23.79 |
| 7 | Internet | $49,428 | $23.76 |
| 8 | Professional | $42,828 | $20.59 |
High paying lead inspector jobs
Lead inspector salary trends
The average lead inspector salary has risen by $8,116 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average lead inspector earned $43,032 annually, but today, they earn $51,148 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for lead inspectors over the last decade.
Compare lead inspector salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average lead inspector salary over time
Compare lead inspector salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Lead inspector salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $51,100 | $24.59 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $49,500 | $23.79 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $48,400 | $23.25 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $47,200 | $22.69 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | $46,500 | $22.35 | +2.1% |
Recently added lead inspector salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princeton Tool | Lead Dimensional Inspector | Mentor, OH | 06/13/2025 | $52,000 |
| City of Asheville, Nc | Stormwater Pipe Inspection Camera Lead | Asheville, NC | 05/29/2025 | $46,874 |
| City of Asheville | Stormwater Pipe Inspection Camera Lead | Asheville, NC | 05/28/2025 | $46,874 |
| Brooksource | Visual Inspection Operations Lead | Concord, NC | 05/27/2025 | $156,525 |
| Carvana | Vehicle Inspection Lead | York, PA | 04/28/2025 | $50,088 |
| Johnson Controls Holding Company, Inc. | Lead Sprinkler Inspector | East Peoria, IL | 04/28/2025 | $43,827 |
| Relativity | Master NDE Inspector (Site Lead: Lc16) | Cape Canaveral, FL | 04/28/2025 | $100,489 |
| SQA | Source Inspection Lead | Palos Verdes Estates, CA | 04/28/2025 | $75,000 |
| System One | Final Inspection Lead | Saint Louis, MO | 04/19/2025 | $52,175 |
| Actalent | Lead Inspector | New York, NY | 04/17/2025 | $62,610 |
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