Building Inspector Salary (2025)
Management · SOC Code 47-4011
National Salary Range
Building Inspector salaries range from $57,296 to $96,644 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Building Inspector Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $96,644 | $57,900 – $145,845 | $50,865 | D | 8,228 |
| New York, NY | $87,341 | $53,662 – $129,560 | $46,706 | D | 10,278 |
| Boston, MA | $85,936 | $53,533 – $123,276 | $56,537 | C | 10,108 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $82,204 | $50,295 – $122,281 | $71,482 | C | 4,690 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $78,261 | $49,076 – $121,323 | $47,145 | D | 6,382 |
| Seattle, WA | $76,974 | $47,079 – $114,462 | $51,660 | D | 4,224 |
| Chicago, IL | $76,221 | $46,153 – $109,005 | $71,235 | C | 3,676 |
| Portland, OR | $75,463 | $48,132 – $110,059 | $58,048 | C | 4,619 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $73,531 | $47,776 – $111,633 | $70,703 | C | 5,114 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $71,196 | $45,418 – $108,001 | $74,163 | C | 2,291 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $69,632 | $41,706 – $100,114 | $66,954 | C | 3,409 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $69,316 | $44,863 – $103,783 | $65,392 | C | 4,122 |
| Nashville, TN | $69,225 | $44,307 – $98,975 | $67,209 | C | 4,599 |
| Houston, TX | $67,669 | $42,051 – $98,798 | $70,489 | C | 2,216 |
| St. Louis, MO | $67,571 | $42,382 – $104,801 | $75,079 | C | 2,514 |
| Charlotte, NC | $67,281 | $40,588 – $104,198 | $68,654 | C | 3,582 |
| Atlanta, GA | $66,895 | $41,862 – $103,353 | $63,108 | C | 3,684 |
| Dallas, TX | $66,868 | $39,652 – $99,889 | $65,557 | C | 3,069 |
| Kansas City, MO | $66,739 | $42,909 – $94,885 | $70,999 | C | 2,486 |
| Denver, CO | $66,609 | $42,109 – $94,757 | $52,038 | D | 3,262 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $64,992 | $41,255 – $98,953 | $70,643 | C | 3,863 |
| Detroit, MI | $64,713 | $38,889 – $98,057 | $72,711 | C | 3,210 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $64,387 | $41,773 – $98,818 | $70,755 | C | 2,389 |
| New Orleans, LA | $64,306 | $38,300 – $99,391 | $67,691 | C | 2,134 |
| Miami, FL | $64,081 | $38,189 – $93,590 | $52,525 | C | 4,572 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $64,022 | $41,577 – $90,626 | $62,157 | C | 4,472 |
| Columbus, OH | $61,666 | $39,219 – $93,905 | $66,308 | C | 3,666 |
| Tampa, FL | $61,663 | $38,426 – $88,797 | $61,052 | C | 3,650 |
| Raleigh, NC | $59,708 | $37,943 – $86,193 | $59,708 | C | 3,798 |
| San Antonio, TX | $57,296 | $35,006 – $87,540 | $63,662 | C | 3,520 |
About Building Inspector Pay
Building Inspectors earn a national median salary of $70,280 based on 2025 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is San Francisco at $96,644 median, while San Antonio offers the lowest at $57,296.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Related Management Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for building inspectors is $70,280 based on 2025 BLS data. Pay ranges from $57,296 to $96,644 depending on city, experience, and union status.
San Francisco offers the highest median pay for building inspectors at $96,644. However, cost of living matters — the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of C and 6% wage growth over 5 years, building inspector offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 127,827 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Training requirements vary by state and employer. Many building inspectors start through vocational programs, community colleges, or on-the-job training. Check with your state's licensing board for specific requirements.
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2025. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.