Building inspector pay by state (BLS data)
✓ Checked 17 Oct 2026 against the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) series, May 2025 estimates.
✓ Construction and Building Inspectors had a national median wage of $74,690 annually, or $35.91 hourly, in the May 2025 OEWS estimates. The national mean was $77,730 annually, or $37.37 hourly. These are occupation-wide figures, not a salary schedule for holders of ICC Residential Building Inspector certification. BLS occupation profile.
Use these figures as a benchmark when comparing work, location and employer expectations. For the certification route itself, start with the Rafter Tie overview and the B1 exam outline guide.
Which workers and release are included?
The occupation is SOC 47-4011, Construction and Building Inspectors. BLS describes work inspecting structures for soundness and compliance with specifications, building codes and other regulations. The category includes general inspections and inspections limited to a specialty, such as electrical systems or plumbing. It therefore extends beyond residential building inspectors preparing for B1.
All wage figures here use May 2025 estimates, released 15 May 2026, retrieved 17 Oct 2026. The reference month and release date describe different things: these are not measurements of wages offered in October. The release notice identifies the publication date; the OEWS tables provide the release's national and geographic data.
States with the highest annual average wages
The May 2025 OEWS profile reports these leading state annual mean wages for this occupation:
- ✓ California: $103,850.
- ✓ Alaska: $102,330.
- ✓ Connecticut: $97,580.
- ✓ Washington: $93,070.
- ✓ Minnesota: $90,440.
✓ The District of Columbia, shown separately because it is not a state, had an annual mean of $93,030. It appears between Washington and Minnesota in BLS's geographic ranking.
This is a highest-average shortlist, not a full state directory. To reproduce it, select Construction and Building Inspectors, Annual mean wage and State in the profile, then expand the displayed ranking to include Minnesota. For other locations, use the state download linked from the OEWS tables.
The national mean is the appropriate national comparison for these state means. A state average is not an entry-level offer, a municipal pay grade or a promise of earnings after certification. Before considering a move, compare actual duties, local vacancies and living costs. A statewide figure can conceal substantial differences between cities and employers.
Median and average answer different questions
The median marks the middle of the wage distribution. The mean is the average across workers in the occupation. Neither identifies the wage for a particular experience level. BLS's OEWS FAQs explain the measures and survey coverage.
Use a consistent measure when comparing locations. If a vacancy gives an hourly base rate, start with an hourly benchmark. If it gives an annual salary, establish the expected schedule before comparing annual amounts. Keep your own expected overtime calculation separate from the published OEWS wage.
OEWS covers wage and salary workers and excludes the self-employed. It measures straight-time gross wages; overtime pay, on-call pay and shift differentials are excluded. Annual wage estimates generally use a full-time, year-round schedule of 2,080 hours. These figures are not take-home pay or a valuation of benefits. BLS definitions and coverage.
What does B1 certification do for pay?
The cited OEWS profile does not separate B1 holders from other workers. It cannot establish a certification premium or show that passing an exam causes a raise. Keep employer-specific pay policies distinct from the occupation-wide benchmark.
When comparing opportunities, record the base pay, expected hours, inspection specialties, travel, benefits and progression requirements. Check whether the job requires certification at hiring or permits it after starting. Also establish who pays for the reference book, exam attempts and study time. Those details help explain the practical value of an offer more clearly than a state ranking alone.
If B1 is the credential you need, read the exam cost and scheduling guide and B1 outline guide. The free B1 diagnostic can help organize preparation once your exam choice is clear.
Sources
Show the list
- OEWS Occupation Profile: Construction and Building Inspectors, SOC 47-4011, May 2025, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 17 Oct 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wages: May 2025, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, released 15 May 2026. Retrieved 17 Oct 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Tables, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 17 Oct 2026.
- OEWS Frequently Asked Questions, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 17 Oct 2026.
Facts checked 17 October 2026 against the sources listed above. If something has changed, tell us and we will correct it within 2 business days.
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