Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

47-4011 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.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
89,620 1.5 % $26.43 $54,970 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $15.42 $19.74 $25.57 $32.52 $39.84
Annual Wage (2) $32,080 $41,050 $53,180 $67,640 $82,870


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Local Government (OES Designation) 40,850 0.74 $26.56 $55,250
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 25,540 1.98 $25.70 $53,460
State Government (OES Designation) 5,350 0.24 $24.18 $50,290
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 3,720 0.35 $29.40 $61,150
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 2,940 0.14 $31.46 $65,440

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 25,540 1.98 $25.70 $53,460
Other Pipeline Transportation 90 1.42 $25.13 $52,260
Local Government (OES Designation) 40,850 0.74 $26.56 $55,250
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 3,720 0.35 $29.40 $61,150
Natural Gas Distribution 310 0.28 $32.42 $67,420

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Waste Treatment and Disposal (8) (8) $40.17 $83,550
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 510 0.13 $34.57 $71,900
Natural Gas Distribution 310 0.28 $32.42 $67,420
Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (8) (8) $32.15 $66,880
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 2,940 0.14 $31.46 $65,440


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 8,730 0.62 0.89 $34.28 $71,300
Texas 7,210 0.70 1.00 $25.63 $53,300
New York 6,910 0.82 1.17 $27.36 $56,910
Florida 5,660 0.79 1.13 $25.68 $53,410
Pennsylvania 4,880 0.88 1.26 $23.13 $48,100




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Wyoming 300 1.09 1.56 $24.31 $50,560
Hawaii 630 1.09 1.56 $26.73 $55,600
Arizona 2,470 1.04 1.48 $25.35 $52,720
Nevada 1,150 1.03 1.47 $33.97 $70,660
New Jersey 3,820 1.01 1.45 $29.77 $61,930




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia (8) (8) (8) $39.39 $81,930
California 8,730 0.62 0.89 $34.28 $71,300
Nevada 1,150 1.03 1.47 $33.97 $70,660
Alaska 300 0.96 1.37 $32.00 $66,560
Washington 2,340 0.86 1.23 $30.88 $64,230





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 3,240 0.64 0.92 $29.85 $62,080
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division 2,390 1.04 1.48 $33.72 $70,130
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 2,170 0.61 0.87 $26.58 $55,280
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 1,930 0.50 0.72 $35.71 $74,280
Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ 1,700 1.00 1.43 $26.41 $54,920
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 1,660 0.81 1.16 $28.01 $58,250
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA 1,350 0.61 0.87 $24.68 $51,340
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 1,350 0.53 0.76 $26.92 $56,000
Pittsburgh, PA 1,330 1.19 1.70 $23.71 $49,330
Baltimore-Towson, MD 1,290 1.03 1.48 $25.40 $52,820




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Longview, TX 450 4.78 6.84 $29.06 $60,450
Cheyenne, WY 140 3.26 4.67 $23.43 $48,740
Ocean City, NJ 80 2.19 3.13 $31.15 $64,800
Altoona, PA 130 2.19 3.13 $22.73 $47,270
Taunton-Norton-Raynham, MA NECTA Division 90 2.09 2.99 $26.47 $55,060
Coeur d'Alene, ID 90 1.76 2.53 $21.85 $45,440
Greeley, CO 130 1.71 2.44 $28.71 $59,710
Williamsport, PA 80 1.58 2.26 $20.01 $41,620
Winchester, VA-WV 70 1.43 2.04 $30.37 $63,170
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA 440 1.43 2.05 $23.50 $48,880




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 570 0.65 0.94 $40.48 $84,190
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division 820 0.87 1.24 $37.83 $78,700
Napa, CA 50 0.77 1.10 $37.76 $78,540
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA 120 0.70 1.00 $36.89 $76,740
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 40 0.43 0.61 $36.42 $75,760
Bakersfield-Delano, CA 120 0.47 0.68 $36.41 $75,730
Modesto, CA 60 0.40 0.58 $36.16 $75,210
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 1,930 0.50 0.72 $35.71 $74,280
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA 790 0.64 0.92 $35.59 $74,020
Las Vegas-Paradise, NV 870 1.07 1.54 $35.16 $73,140

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area 310 1.63 2.33 $24.61 $51,180
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 220 1.15 1.65 $18.13 $37,710
Far Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 210 1.28 1.84 $20.97 $43,610
Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area 210 1.12 1.60 $22.73 $47,270
Western Colorado nonmetropolitan area 190 1.89 2.71 $27.03 $56,220

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nantucket Island and Martha's Vineyard nonmetropolitan area 30 2.21 3.16 $29.88 $62,160
Western Colorado nonmetropolitan area 190 1.89 2.71 $27.03 $56,220
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 100 1.78 2.55 $34.00 $70,710
Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area 80 1.64 2.35 $22.34 $46,470
Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area 310 1.63 2.33 $24.61 $51,180

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 100 1.78 2.55 $34.00 $70,710
Southeastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 40 0.99 1.42 $33.58 $69,860
Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area 60 1.04 1.49 $30.02 $62,440
Central Washington nonmetropolitan area 60 0.93 1.34 $29.98 $62,360
Nantucket Island and Martha's Vineyard nonmetropolitan area 30 2.21 3.16 $29.88 $62,160


About May 2011 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012