Salaries › Quality Inspector › California
Quality Inspector Salary in California (2026)
$26.11 per hour · take-home ≈ $44,350/year ($3,696/month) for a single filer
Quality Inspector pay range in California
| Percentile | Annual wage | Meaning |
| 10th percentile (entry) | $38,750 | Lowest-paid 10% earn less than this |
| 25th percentile | $45,630 | A quarter earn less |
| Median (50th) | $54,300 | Half earn more, half earn less |
| 75th percentile | $68,580 | Top quarter starts here |
| 90th percentile (top) | $88,210 | Highest-paid 10% earn more than this |
BLS reports 61,130 Quality Inspector jobs in California (occupation code 51-9061, “Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers”).
Gross vs. take-home in California
A median Quality Inspector salary of $54,300 doesn’t all reach your bank account. After federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare, plus California state income tax, a single filer keeps about $44,350 — an effective tax rate of 18.3%.
| Gross (median) | $54,300 |
| Federal income tax | −$4,336 |
| Social Security + Medicare | −$4,154 |
| California state income tax | −$1,460 |
| Take-home (annual) | $44,350 |
| Take-home (monthly) | $3,696 |
Want your exact numbers — married, 401(k), different salary? Use the free California paycheck calculator on PaycheckTally.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Quality Inspector make in California?
- The median Quality Inspector salary in California is $54,300 per year ($26.11 per hour) according to the latest BLS data. The middle 50% earn between $45,630 and $68,580.
- What is the take-home pay for a Quality Inspector in California?
- On the median salary of $54,300, a single filer in California takes home about $44,350 per year ($3,696 per month) after federal tax, FICA, and state income tax — an effective tax rate of 18.3%.
- How many Quality Inspector jobs are there in California?
- BLS counts 61,130 Quality Inspector jobs in California in the latest survey (May 2025).
Top-paying states for Quality Inspectors
Other salaries in California
Sources and methodology
Wage and employment figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 (state file, released April 2026) — the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the most authoritative public salary dataset. Take-home estimate: 2026 federal brackets, FICA, and verified California state tax rules (single filer, standard deduction, no credits or local taxes). Estimates only — not financial advice.
- BLS OEWS — official occupational wage data.
- PaycheckTally — interactive 2026 take-home calculator for California.