Skilled Trades
Construction and Building Inspectors
Inspect structures using engineering skills to determine structural soundness and compliance with specifications, building codes, and other regulations. Inspections may be general in nature or may be limited to a specific area, such as electrical systems or plumbing.
Median salary
$72,120
Typical range
$47k – $112k
Job outlook
See national outlook
AI exposure
Plan a path to Construction and Building Inspectors
Education
Typical entry: No degree (trade/license)
Plan my path to this →Typical progression
Junior Construction and Building Inspectors
Entry / Junior
$46,560
~2 yrs to advance
Construction and Building Inspectors
Established
$72,120
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Construction and Building Inspectors
Senior
$92,220
Key skills
A typical day
- •Approve building plans that meet required specifications.
- •Review and interpret plans, blueprints, site layouts, specifications, or construction methods to ensure compliance to legal requirements and safety regulations.
- •Issue permits for construction, relocation, demolition, or occupancy.
- •Inspect bridges, dams, highways, buildings, wiring, plumbing, electrical circuits, sewers, heating systems, or foundations during and after construction for structural quality, general safety, or conformance to specifications and codes.
- •Monitor installation of plumbing, wiring, equipment, or appliances to ensure that installation is performed properly and is in compliance with applicable regulations.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Skilled Trades
Explore all- Purdue University50% admit · $78,000 grad pay
- Ohio State University53% admit · $68,000 grad pay
- Pennsylvania State University55% admit · $70,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.