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Building Inspector Salary by State (2026)
How much does a Building Inspector make? The median Building Inspector salary in the US is about $74,433 per year (roughly $36.00 an hour), across 146,760 jobs (Construction and Building Inspectors). But pay swings widely by state — the median ranges from $50,250 in Mississippi to $102,410 in Alaska. Pick your state below for the full pay range and an estimated take-home after taxes.
Median Building Inspector salary in every state
| State | Median salary | Jobs |
| Alaska | $102,410 | 270 |
| California | $101,290 | 13,420 |
| Connecticut | $98,670 | 1,430 |
| Washington | $96,140 | 3,090 |
| Minnesota | $88,670 | 1,390 |
| District of Columbia | $86,200 | 370 |
| Oregon | $84,510 | 1,780 |
| Massachusetts | $83,200 | 4,290 |
| New Jersey | $81,760 | 5,950 |
| Colorado | $79,950 | 3,700 |
| New York | $79,460 | 11,160 |
| Hawaii | $79,320 | 710 |
| North Dakota | $78,570 | 180 |
| Illinois | $78,340 | 2,560 |
| Rhode Island | $77,420 | 270 |
| Maryland | $76,640 | 2,780 |
| Montana | $75,700 | 290 |
| Virginia | $75,660 | 6,550 |
| Wisconsin | $75,610 | 1,270 |
| Nevada | $75,290 | 1,780 |
| Maine | $74,670 | 710 |
| Ohio | $74,490 | 3,490 |
| Utah | $74,130 | 1,240 |
| Arizona | $73,440 | 3,330 |
| Delaware | $72,700 | 570 |
| Iowa | $71,630 | 1,140 |
| Michigan | $71,040 | 3,090 |
| Louisiana | $68,260 | 1,440 |
| Florida | $68,170 | 13,860 |
| Vermont | $66,580 | 120 |
| North Carolina | $66,080 | 6,490 |
| Georgia | $65,980 | 4,510 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,870 | 5,320 |
| New Hampshire | $65,640 | 420 |
| New Mexico | $65,420 | 800 |
| Nebraska | $65,000 | 570 |
| South Dakota | $64,940 | 200 |
| Texas | $64,810 | 18,230 |
| West Virginia | $64,000 | 540 |
| Idaho | $63,570 | 1,000 |
| Kansas | $63,150 | 840 |
| Missouri | $62,970 | 1,640 |
| Indiana | $62,850 | 2,110 |
| Wyoming | $61,870 | 370 |
| Alabama | $61,300 | 1,420 |
| Kentucky | $60,200 | 1,380 |
| Tennessee | $59,870 | 2,500 |
| Oklahoma | $59,280 | 2,090 |
| South Carolina | $58,840 | 2,500 |
| Arkansas | $52,700 | 800 |
| Mississippi | $50,250 | 800 |
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Building Inspector make?
- A Building Inspector makes a median of about $74,433 per year in the US (roughly $36.00 per hour), according to the latest BLS data. Pay ranges from $50,250 in Mississippi to $102,410 in Alaska depending on the state.
- What is the average Building Inspector salary in the US?
- The typical (employment-weighted median) Building Inspector salary in the US is about $74,433 per year, based on the latest BLS data covering 146,760 jobs nationwide.
- Which state pays Building Inspectors the most?
- Alaska has the highest median Building Inspector salary at $102,410 per year. Remember that taxes and cost of living vary — a high gross salary can shrink after state taxes.
- Which state pays Building Inspectors the least?
- Mississippi has the lowest median at $50,250 per year. Lower-paying states often also have lower living costs and, in some cases, no state income tax.
Sources and methodology
All figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) (Construction and Building Inspectors, code 47-4011). “Typical pay” is the employment-weighted average of state medians. Take-home estimates on state pages use 2026 federal and verified state tax rules from our PaycheckTally engine.