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Vehicle inspector salary
Average vehicle inspector salary
$47,110
Average Vehicle Inspector Salary
The average salary for a vehicle inspector in the United States is approximately $47,110 per year. This translates to about $23 per hour, reflecting the critical nature of this role in maintaining vehicle safety and compliance with regulations.
Salary Variance by State
Vehicle inspector salaries can differ significantly across states. For instance, inspectors in states like California and Texas tend to earn higher salaries due to demand and cost of living factors.
Factors Influencing Salary
Experience, location, and specific industry sector can all impact earnings for vehicle inspectors. Those with more years in the field or specialized certifications often see higher wages.
Job Opportunities
As a vehicle inspector, you can find a variety of job opportunities nationwide. Regularly check job boards like Zippia to stay updated on openings and salary trends specific to your area.
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Where can a Vehicle Inspector earn more?
Vehicle inspector salary estimates from across the web
Average vehicle inspector salary by state
The average vehicle inspector salary in New Jersey, New Mexico, and Florida are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average vehicle inspector salary states are Wisconsin, Maine, and Idaho.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for vehicle inspectors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | $54,146 | $26.03 |
| 2 | New Mexico | $55,679 | $26.77 |
| 3 | Mississippi | $48,654 | $23.39 |
| 4 | Texas | $48,574 | $23.35 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $66,026 | $31.74 |
| 6 | Tennessee | $47,498 | $22.84 |
| 7 | New York | $51,083 | $24.56 |
| 8 | Kansas | $52,619 | $25.30 |
| 9 | Michigan | $47,441 | $22.81 |
| 10 | Arkansas | $51,175 | $24.60 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $45,959 | $22.10 |
| 12 | California | $52,192 | $25.09 |
| 13 | Georgia | $45,553 | $21.90 |
| 14 | Illinois | $52,349 | $25.17 |
| 15 | Nevada | $45,237 | $21.75 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $45,339 | $21.80 |
| 17 | Iowa | $48,319 | $23.23 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $41,964 | $20.18 |
| 19 | Louisiana | $44,647 | $21.46 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $42,250 | $20.31 |
| 21 | Delaware | $46,706 | $22.45 |
| 22 | Maryland | $44,481 | $21.39 |
| 23 | Connecticut | $45,145 | $21.70 |
| 24 | Alabama | $42,766 | $20.56 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $45,530 | $21.89 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $40,006 | $19.23 |
| 27 | Utah | $43,818 | $21.07 |
| 28 | Colorado | $41,070 | $19.75 |
| 29 | Arizona | $42,639 | $20.50 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $40,495 | $19.47 |
| 31 | Oregon | $45,111 | $21.69 |
| 32 | Rhode Island | $43,481 | $20.90 |
| 33 | Ohio | $39,361 | $18.92 |
| 34 | Missouri | $41,034 | $19.73 |
| 35 | Massachusetts | $41,845 | $20.12 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $40,592 | $19.52 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $40,690 | $19.56 |
| 38 | Virginia | $39,543 | $19.01 |
| 39 | Vermont | $36,980 | $17.78 |
| 40 | District of Columbia | $45,894 | $22.06 |
| 41 | Indiana | $35,308 | $16.98 |
| 42 | Alaska | $40,654 | $19.55 |
| 43 | Maine | $33,455 | $16.08 |
| 44 | Montana | $30,448 | $14.64 |
| 45 | North Dakota | $35,421 | $17.03 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $37,886 | $18.21 |
| 47 | Hawaii | $35,512 | $17.07 |
| 48 | Idaho | $32,818 | $15.78 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $30,895 | $14.85 |
| 50 | Wisconsin | $33,539 | $16.12 |
| 51 | Washington | $32,174 | $15.47 |
Highest paying cities for vehicle inspectors
The highest-paying cities for vehicle inspectors are Newark, NJ, Winter Garden, FL, and Anaheim, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newark, NJ | $65,685 | $31.58 |
| 2 | Winter Garden, FL | $54,111 | $26.01 |
| 3 | Anaheim, CA | $52,377 | $25.18 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $51,504 | $24.76 |
| 5 | Springfield, IL | $51,497 | $24.76 |
| 6 | Corpus Christi, TX | $50,213 | $24.14 |
| 7 | Memphis, TN | $48,029 | $23.09 |
| 8 | Detroit, MI | $47,917 | $23.04 |
| 9 | Sioux City, IA | $46,423 | $22.32 |
| 10 | Raleigh, NC | $46,183 | $22.20 |
| 11 | Macon, GA | $45,906 | $22.07 |
| 12 | Baton Rouge, LA | $44,820 | $21.55 |
| 13 | Portland, OR | $44,069 | $21.19 |
| 14 | Chandler, AZ | $42,698 | $20.53 |
| 15 | Georgetown, KY | $42,480 | $20.42 |
| 16 | Norwood, MA | $42,057 | $20.22 |
| 17 | Saint Louis, MO | $41,342 | $19.88 |
| 18 | Rochester, MN | $40,855 | $19.64 |
| 19 | Denver, CO | $40,667 | $19.55 |
| 20 | Columbus, OH | $39,144 | $18.82 |
Vehicle inspector salary details
A vehicle inspector's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $76,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a vehicle inspector's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $76,000 | $6,333 | $37 |
| 75th Percentile | $60,000 | $5,000 | $29 |
| Average | $47,110 | $3,926 | $23 |
| 25th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
Highest paying vehicle inspector jobs
The highest paying types of vehicle inspectors are chief mechanical officer, air brake tester, and equipment inspector.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transportation Inspector | $47,468 | $3,956 | $22.82 | 23,746 |
| Equipment Inspector | $50,976 | $4,248 | $24.51 | 31,555 |
| Auto Inspector | $43,511 | $3,626 | $20.92 | 21,496 |
| Inspector | $38,757 | $3,230 | $18.63 | 17,670 |
Top companies hiring vehicle inspectors now:
Which companies pay vehicle inspectors the most?
Vehicle inspector salaries at Parsons and Komatsu America Corp. are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average vehicle inspector salary at companies like KAR Auction Services and SGS are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parsons | $59,182 | $28.45 |
| 2 | Komatsu America Corp. | $48,117 | $23.13 |
| 3 | KAR Auction Services | $47,954 | $23.05 |
| 4 | SGS | $47,848 | $23.00 |
| 5 | Wrench | $47,115 | $22.65 |
| 6 | ACV Auctions | $47,113 | $22.65 |
| 7 | Floorplan Xpress | $46,710 | $22.46 |
| 8 | Greensboro Auto Auction | $45,699 | $21.97 |
| 9 | Express Oil Change & Tire Engineers | $44,813 | $21.54 |
| 10 | Cox Enterprises | $41,449 | $19.93 |
| 11 | North States Ind | $39,418 | $18.95 |
| 12 | Cox Auto | $39,200 | $18.85 |
| 13 | Metro Auto Auction | $38,771 | $18.64 |
| 14 | Dominion Enterprises | $38,096 | $18.32 |
| 15 | Glamour Shots | $37,881 | $18.21 |
| 16 | Boch Automotive | $37,855 | $18.20 |
| 17 | Cox Automotive | $34,468 | $16.57 |
| 18 | ManpowerGroup | $33,938 | $16.32 |
| 19 | Kelly Services | $33,926 | $16.31 |
| 20 | Enterprise Holdings | $25,784 | $12.40 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Vehicle inspector salary trends
The average vehicle inspector salary has risen by $9,716 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average vehicle inspector earned $37,394 annually, but today, they earn $47,110 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for vehicle inspectors over the last decade.
Compare vehicle inspector salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average vehicle inspector salary over time
Compare vehicle inspector salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Vehicle inspector salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $47,100 | $22.65 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $45,600 | $21.90 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $44,300 | $21.31 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $43,300 | $20.84 | -0.1% |
| 2021 | $43,400 | $20.86 | +1.9% |
Recently added vehicle inspector salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion Enterprises | Automotive Photographer/Vehicle Inspector | Lakewood, NJ | 06/29/2025 | $37,566 |
| Dominion Enterprises | Vehicle Inspector and Photographer | Lowell, MA | 06/28/2025 | $37,566 |
| Carvana | Vehicle Inspector | Fairburn, GA | 06/27/2025 | $37,566 |
| Carvana | Vehicle Inspector | Akron, NY | 06/27/2025 | $41,740 |
| Dominion Enterprises | Vehicle Inspector and Photographer | Nashua, NH | 06/27/2025 | $37,566 |
| Dominion Enterprises | Vehicle Inspector and Photographer | Charlotte, NC | 06/27/2025 | $33,392 |
| ACV Auctions | Vehicle Condition Inspector | Joliet, IL | 06/27/2025 | $41,740 |
| Dominion Enterprises | Vehicle Inspector and Photographer | Des Moines, IA | 06/26/2025 | $37,566 |
| Cox Enterprises | Vehicle Inspector I | Elkridge, MD | 06/24/2025 | $30,700 |
| ACV Auctions | Vehicle Condition Inspector | Los Angeles, CA | 06/23/2025 | $49,045 |
Vehicle inspector salary FAQs
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