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Construction and Building Inspectors

Architecture and ConstructionO*NET 47-4011.00United States

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.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning
Median annual earnings
$73,730

50th percentile, United States

Projected change
+3.6%

2025 to 2035

Typical education
High school diploma or less

36% of the workforce

Employment
159.06K jobs

Growing to 164.77K by 2035

Explore this career by location

Compare nationwide estimates with state or county job-market data.

Showing United States

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

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The work

What construction and building inspectors do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Issue permits for construction, relocation, demolition, or occupancy.
  • Monitor installation of plumbing, wiring, equipment, or appliances to ensure that installation is performed properly and is in compliance with applicable regulations.
  • Inspect and monitor construction sites to ensure adherence to safety standards, building codes, or specifications.
  • Confer with owners, violators, or authorities to explain regulations or recommend remedial actions.
  • Measure dimensions and verify level, alignment, or elevation of structures or fixtures to ensure compliance to building plans and codes.
  • Maintain daily logs and supplement inspection records with photographs.
  • Conduct inspections, using survey instruments, metering devices, tape measures, or test equipment.
  • Train, direct, or supervise other construction inspectors.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile
$44,643
25th percentile
$56,731
50th percentile
$73,730
75th percentile
$95,595
90th percentile
$123,287

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $73,730 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+3.6%average or slower
2025159,064 jobs
2035 projected164,767 jobs

5,703 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less
36%
Certificate
36%
Bachelor's degree
16%
Some college
4%
Associate degree
4%
Master's or Professional degree
4%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

  • Construction
  • Construction Inspection
  • Construction Management
  • Project Management
  • Field Inspection
  • Building Codes
  • Good Driving Record
  • Civil Engineering
  • Lifting Ability
  • Plumbing
  • Site Inspection
  • Safety Standards
  • Submittals (Construction)
  • Roofing
  • Auditing
  • Subcontracting
  • Property Inspection
  • Architectural Drawing
  • Soil Science
  • Traffic Control

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Systems Evaluation
Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Persuasion
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Quality Control Analysis
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Negotiation
Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
Systems Analysis
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

  1. 01Construction Inspectors4,805 postings
  2. 02Building Inspectors1,781 postings
  3. 03Field Inspectors1,485 postings
  4. 04Inspectors1,183 postings
  5. 05Transportation Construction Inspectors931 postings
  6. 06Home Inspectors923 postings
  7. 07Commercial Insurance Inspectors901 postings
  8. 08Property Inspectors784 postings
  9. 09Electrical Inspectors643 postings
  10. 10Roof Inspectors586 postings
  11. 11Cei Inspectors564 postings
  12. 12Plans Examiners435 postings
  13. 13Field Engineers383 postings
  14. 14Utility Inspectors376 postings
  15. 15Construction Representatives334 postings
  16. 16Independent Field Representatives321 postings
  17. 17Field Technicians318 postings
  18. 18Roadway Inspectors313 postings
  19. 19Commercial Property Inspectors302 postings
  20. 20Permit Technicians256 postings

Top employers

  1. 01Exl774 postings
  2. 02Actalent704 postings
  3. 03Bureau Veritas520 postings
  4. 04CDM Smith475 postings
  5. 05Jacobs Solutions437 postings
  6. 06Quiktrak408 postings
  7. 07Safeguard Properties343 postings
  8. 08Universal Engineering Sciences289 postings
  9. 09Strategic Asset Services255 postings
  10. 10Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson254 postings
  11. 11Greenman & Pedersen242 postings
  12. 12WSP Global237 postings
  13. 13Path Light Pro236 postings
  14. 14Jmi Reports228 postings
  15. 15Rk&K225 postings
  16. 16Asteroom222 postings
  17. 17HNTB220 postings
  18. 18Terracon Consultants213 postings
  19. 19Stantec185 postings
  20. 20AECOM181 postings

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