Agricultural Inspectors Salary
The median pay for a agricultural inspectors in Pennsylvania is $55,650/year ($26.76/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $58,597 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 36.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $56K get you in Pennsylvania?
About agricultural inspectors
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania sits well above the national pay line for agricultural inspectors, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 36% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level agricultural inspectors (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Agricultural Inspectors salary by metro in Pennsylvania
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $70K | +25% | 30 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $56K | +0% | 180 |
| Lebanon | $46K | -18% | 50 |
Compare to other states
Track agricultural inspectors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a agricultural inspector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 36% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for agricultural inspectors in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new agricultural inspectors typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,737/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 49% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is agricultural inspector a high-paying job in Pennsylvania?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $56K here vs. $50K nationally.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for agricultural inspectors?
Pennsylvania pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do agricultural inspectors make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $55,650 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,620, and experienced agricultural inspectors can clear $80,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,754/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 36% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a agricultural inspectors salary go in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median agricultural inspectors salary is worth about $58,597 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do agricultural inspectors get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.