The average salary for a building inspector in California is around $101,290 per year.
Avg Salary
Building inspectors earn an average yearly salary of $101,290.
Wages typically start from $56,220 and go up to $161,550.
27% above national average Updated in 2025
Building inspector earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level building inspector earnings begin at:
$77.67 per hour
$161,550 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level building inspector earnings begin at:
$61.80 per hour
$128,530 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level building inspector earnings begin at:
$48.70 per hour
$101,290 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level building inspector earnings begin at:
$36.62 per hour
$76,160 per year
10th percentile
Starting level building inspector earnings begin at:
$27.03 per hour
$56,220 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Building inspector salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | $98,670 |
| Washington | $96,140 |
| Minnesota | $88,670 |
| District of Columbia | $86,200 |
| Oregon | $84,510 |
| Massachusetts | $83,200 |
| New Jersey | $81,760 |
| Colorado | $79,950 |
| New York | $79,460 |
| Hawaii | $79,320 |
| North Dakota | $78,570 |
| Illinois | $78,340 |
| Rhode Island | $77,420 |
| Maryland | $76,640 |
| Montana | $75,700 |
| Virginia | $75,660 |
| Wisconsin | $75,610 |
| Nevada | $75,290 |
| Maine | $74,670 |
| Ohio | $74,490 |
| Utah | $74,130 |
| Arizona | $73,440 |
| Delaware | $72,700 |
| Iowa | $71,630 |
| Michigan | $71,040 |
| Louisiana | $68,260 |
| Florida | $68,170 |
| Vermont | $66,580 |
| North Carolina | $66,080 |
| Georgia | $65,980 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,870 |
| New Hampshire | $65,640 |
| New Mexico | $65,420 |
| Nebraska | $65,000 |
| South Dakota | $64,940 |
| Texas | $64,810 |
| West Virginia | $64,000 |
| Idaho | $63,570 |
| Kansas | $63,150 |
| Missouri | $62,970 |
| Indiana | $62,850 |
| Wyoming | $61,870 |
| Alabama | $61,300 |
| Kentucky | $60,200 |
| Tennessee | $59,870 |
| Oklahoma | $59,280 |
| South Carolina | $58,840 |
| Arkansas | $52,700 |
| Mississippi | $50,250 |
| Guam | $37,840 |
| Puerto Rico | $23,220 |
| Alaska | $102,410 |
| California | $101,290 |
How do building inspector salaries compare to similar careers?
Building inspectors earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than architects but more than crane operators.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Architect salary | $109K |
| Naval architect salary | $111K |
| Urban planner salary | $110K |
| Surveyor salary | $105K |
| Building inspector salary | $101K |
| Commercial diver salary | $102K |
| Interior designer salary | $80K |
| Rigger salary | $86K |
| Crane operator salary | $80K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)