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Production inspector salary
Average production inspector salary
$16.03
Average Production Inspector Salary
The average salary for a production inspector in the United States stands at approximately $33,340 per year, translating to about $16 per hour. This figure can vary based on several factors, including geographic location, industry, and years of experience.
How Much Does a Production Inspector Make?
Production inspectors play a critical role in ensuring product quality. Their salaries can differ based on the state of employment. For instance, states like California and Texas typically offer higher wages due to the cost of living and demand for skilled workers.
Salary by Experience Level
Beginning inspectors can expect to earn around $28,000 annually, while those with extensive experience or specialized skills might earn upwards of $40,000. Understanding these salary dynamics is essential for anyone considering a career in this field.
Where Can a Production Inspector Earn More?
Job opportunities in industries such as manufacturing and quality control often provide competitive salaries. Additionally, positions in larger companies or those requiring advanced certifications can lead to significantly higher pay.
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Where can a Production Inspector earn more?
Production inspector salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level production inspector | $19,800 | $9.50 |
| Mid-level production inspector | $31,500 | $15.16 |
| Senior-level production inspector | $41,700 | $20.03 |
Production inspector salary estimates from across the web
Average production inspector salary by state
The highest-paying states for production inspectors are Connecticut, Washington, and Alaska. The lowest average production inspector salary states are South Carolina, Florida, and Texas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for production inspectors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska | $39,352 | $18.92 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $36,417 | $17.51 |
| 3 | Connecticut | $47,383 | $22.78 |
| 4 | Maine | $35,656 | $17.14 |
| 5 | Montana | $39,093 | $18.79 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $38,418 | $18.47 |
| 7 | Washington | $41,959 | $20.17 |
| 8 | Iowa | $34,882 | $16.77 |
| 9 | Vermont | $35,858 | $17.24 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $48,638 | $23.38 |
| 11 | Indiana | $34,169 | $16.43 |
| 12 | Utah | $35,399 | $17.02 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $38,171 | $18.35 |
| 14 | Idaho | $35,668 | $17.15 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $37,317 | $17.94 |
| 16 | Alaska | $41,571 | $19.99 |
| 17 | Nevada | $34,182 | $16.43 |
| 18 | Minnesota | $34,515 | $16.59 |
| 19 | Ohio | $32,712 | $15.73 |
| 20 | Arizona | $35,021 | $16.84 |
| 21 | Maryland | $37,754 | $18.15 |
| 22 | California | $36,307 | $17.46 |
| 23 | Massachusetts | $36,282 | $17.44 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $32,850 | $15.79 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $37,176 | $17.87 |
| 26 | Louisiana | $35,122 | $16.89 |
| 27 | Colorado | $34,766 | $16.71 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $31,016 | $14.91 |
| 29 | Kansas | $31,777 | $15.28 |
| 30 | Michigan | $31,314 | $15.05 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $34,044 | $16.37 |
| 32 | New York | $35,097 | $16.87 |
| 33 | Missouri | $32,415 | $15.58 |
| 34 | Oregon | $33,076 | $15.90 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $33,591 | $16.15 |
| 36 | Wisconsin | $29,948 | $14.40 |
| 37 | Virginia | $33,327 | $16.02 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $33,040 | $15.88 |
| 39 | West Virginia | $30,883 | $14.85 |
| 40 | Delaware | $33,450 | $16.08 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $29,256 | $14.07 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $24,768 | $11.91 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $27,100 | $13.03 |
| 44 | Illinois | $27,275 | $13.11 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $27,547 | $13.24 |
| 46 | Georgia | $24,964 | $12.00 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $28,362 | $13.64 |
| 48 | Hawaii | $32,584 | $15.67 |
| 49 | Florida | $26,751 | $12.86 |
| 50 | Alabama | $23,802 | $11.44 |
| 51 | Texas | $25,196 | $12.11 |
Highest paying cities for production inspectors
The highest-paying cities for production inspectors are Omaha, NE, West Sacramento, CA, and Fort Wayne, IN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Omaha, NE | $39,353 | $18.92 |
| 2 | West Sacramento, CA | $36,970 | $17.77 |
| 3 | Fort Wayne, IN | $35,203 | $16.92 |
| 4 | Phoenix, AZ | $35,080 | $16.87 |
| 5 | Winona, MN | $34,135 | $16.41 |
| 6 | Hazleton, PA | $33,140 | $15.93 |
| 7 | Kansas City, MO | $32,712 | $15.73 |
| 8 | Anderson, SC | $27,397 | $13.17 |
| 9 | Austin, TX | $25,207 | $12.12 |
| 10 | Savannah, GA | $24,635 | $11.84 |
| 11 | Florence, AL | $24,224 | $11.65 |
Production inspector salary details
A production inspector's salary ranges from $26,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $42,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a production inspector's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 75th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| Average | $33,340 | $2,778 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
Highest paying production inspector jobs
The highest paying types of production inspectors are senior inspector, lead inspector, and weld inspector.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test Operator | $35,591 | $2,966 | $17.11 | 63,674 |
| Inspector General | $48,026 | $4,002 | $23.09 | 58,208 |
| Quality Assurance Inspector | $36,842 | $3,070 | $17.71 | 74,410 |
| Quality Control Inspector | $35,018 | $2,918 | $16.84 | 92,794 |
| Mechanical Inspector | $49,727 | $4,144 | $23.91 | 33,863 |
| Technical Inspector | $38,939 | $3,245 | $18.72 | 83,675 |
Top companies hiring production inspectors now:
Which companies pay production inspectors the most?
Production inspector salaries at Rich Products and Safran are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average production inspector salary at companies like Benchmark Electronics and Techtronic Industries TTI are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rich Products | $40,751 | $19.59 |
| 2 | Safran | $36,794 | $17.69 |
| 3 | Benchmark Electronics | $35,775 | $17.20 |
| 4 | Techtronic Industries TTI | $34,559 | $16.61 |
| 5 | Fort Wayne Metals | $33,651 | $16.18 |
| 6 | Catalent Pharma Solutions | $32,937 | $15.84 |
| 7 | Parker Hannifin | $32,703 | $15.72 |
| 8 | Volt Information Sciences | $32,595 | $15.67 |
| 9 | Tarkett North America Holding Inc | $32,448 | $15.60 |
| 10 | Saint-Gobain | $32,341 | $15.55 |
| 11 | Remedy Intelligent Staffing | $32,321 | $15.54 |
| 12 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $32,069 | $15.42 |
| 13 | ManpowerGroup | $31,813 | $15.29 |
| 14 | Aerotek | $31,618 | $15.20 |
| 15 | Adecco | $31,204 | $15.00 |
| 16 | Elwood Staffing | $31,130 | $14.97 |
| 17 | MBS Solutions | $30,201 | $14.52 |
| 18 | The Motion Agency | $30,011 | $14.43 |
| 19 | R.M. Schulte & Associates | $29,130 | $14.00 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Production Inspector salary by industry
The average production inspector salary varies across industries:
- The average production inspector salary in the automotive industry is $37,078, the highest of any industry.
- The average production inspector salary in the finance industry is $33,808.
- Production inspectors in the professional industry earn an average salary of $32,418, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for production inspectors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Automotive | $37,078 | $17.83 |
| 2 | Pharmaceutical | $33,808 | $16.25 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $33,155 | $15.94 |
| 4 | Professional | $32,418 | $15.59 |
High paying production inspector jobs
Production inspector salary trends
The average production inspector salary has risen by $5,291 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average production inspector earned $28,049 annually, but today, they earn $33,340 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for production inspectors over the last decade.
Compare production inspector salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average production inspector salary over time
Compare production inspector salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Production inspector salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $33,300 | $16.03 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $32,300 | $15.51 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $31,500 | $15.15 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $30,800 | $14.79 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | $30,300 | $14.57 | +2.1% |
Recently added production inspector salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benchmark Electronics | Production Inspector I | Rochester, MN | 06/28/2025 | $37,566 |
| Riverside Integrated Solutions | Production Inspector/Solderer-1St. Shift | Lewiston, MN | 06/25/2025 | $32,474 |
| HW Staffing Solutions | Production Inspectors/Packers | Calverton, NY | 06/24/2025 | $37,566 |
| Kao Collins | Production Support-Inspector | Cincinnati, OH | 06/10/2025 | $33,914 |
| G&W Electric Co | Production Inspector AM To PM) Viper Final | Bolingbrook, IL | 05/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Empire Coating | Production Inspection | Albion, NY | 04/25/2025 | $35,479 |
| OC Oerlikon | Production Inspector (3RD Shift 11P A) | Geneva, IL | 03/22/2025 | $39,653 |
| Production Inspector 600Am To 230Pm Viper Final | Production Inspector AM To PM) Viper Final | Bolingbrook, IL | 03/15/2025 | $41,740 |
| RK Stratman | Production Inspector | Wentzville, MO | 03/06/2025 | $37,566 |
| OC Oerlikon | Production Inspector (ALL Shifts) | Geneva, IL | 02/19/2025 | $39,653 |
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