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Salary comparison

Construction and Building Inspectors vs. Construction Laborers: Who Earns More?

Construction and Building Inspectorss out-earn Construction Laborerss by $28K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Construction and Building Inspectorss land at $74,690 and Construction Laborerss at $47,120. The education gap is real: construction and building inspector programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while construction laborer programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Construction and Building Inspectorss is Alaska ($102,410); for Construction Laborerss it's Hawaii ($77,110).

Construction and Building Inspectors
Construction Laborers
Median salary
$74,690
$47,120
Hourly rate
$35.91/hr
$22.66/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$47,140
$35,090
Senior level (90th %)
$114,200
$78,090
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
146,720
1,096,780
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
7.3%
Category
Construction & Trades
Construction & Trades
Top-paying state
Alaska
Hawaii

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Construction and Building Inspectors median pay.

State
Construction and Building Inspectors
Construction Laborers
Alaska
$102,410
$58,060
California
$101,290
$60,270
Connecticut
$98,670
$58,290
Washington
$96,140
$57,720
Minnesota
$88,670
$60,260
Oregon
$84,510
$50,860
Massachusetts
$83,200
$63,390
New Jersey
$81,760
$64,060
New York
$79,460
$55,930
Hawaii
$79,320
$77,110
Illinois
$78,340
$60,690
Rhode Island
$77,420
$57,240
Wisconsin
$75,610
$56,100
Ohio
$74,490
$56,080
Missouri
$62,970
$56,730

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Construction and Building Inspectorss or Construction Laborerss?

Construction and Building Inspectorss earn more nationally. The median is $74,690 for Construction and Building Inspectorss versus $47,120 for Construction Laborerss, a difference of $28K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Construction and Building Inspectors or Construction Laborers?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Construction and Building Inspectors or Construction Laborers?

Construction and Building Inspectors typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Construction Laborers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Construction and Building Inspectorss get paid the most?

Alaska is the top-paying state for Construction and Building Inspectorss at $102,410/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Construction and Building Inspectors vs. Construction Laborers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Alaska, Construction and Building Inspectorss earn $102,410 vs. $58,060 for Construction Laborerss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Construction and Building Inspectors salary breakdownView →Full Construction Laborers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Construction and Building Inspectorss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Construction Laborerss by take-home payExplore →How to become a construction and building inspectorsGuide →How to become a construction laborersGuide →