Construction and Building Inspectors Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 47-4011 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$74,693
$35.91/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Construction and Building Inspectors is $74,693 per year ($35.91/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $58,864 and $94,723 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $114,213 per year. There are approximately 146,720 construction and building inspectors employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Inspect structures using engineering skills to determine structural soundness and compliance with specifications, building codes, and other regulations. Inspections may be general in nature or may be limited to a specific area, such as electrical systems or plumbing.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
-0.8%
Little or no change
Annual openings
15K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
148K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
0% from new growth100% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
5 years or more
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999300
54K
$73,930
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
NAICS 541300
47K
$75,330
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
NAICS 541900
6K
$69,040
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999200
5K
$73,520
Building Equipment Contractors
NAICS 238200
5K
$71,150
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$22.66
$47,133
P25
$28.30
$58,864
P50MEDIAN
$35.91
$74,693
P75
$45.54
$94,723
P90
$54.91
$114,213
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · manufacturing sector
Stable
Openings Rate
3.5%
Quits Rate
1.4%
Manufacturing openings ticked up to 462K (+19K) in March, with the rate at 3.5%. Hires rose to 310K. The sector has stabilized after late-2025 softening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average construction and building inspectors salary?
The national median salary for Construction and Building Inspectors is $74,693 per year ($35.91/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $58,864 and $94,723 annually.
How much do top-earning construction and building inspectors make?
The 90th percentile salary for Construction and Building Inspectors is $114,213 per year ($54.91/hr). The 75th percentile is $94,723 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for construction and building inspectors?
Entry-level Construction and Building Inspectors (10th percentile) earn approximately $47,133 per year ($22.66/hr). The 25th percentile is $58,864 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
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