Construction and Building Inspectors Salary
Construction and Building Inspectors in Charleston-North Charleston, SC make a median of $60,140 a year, or about $28.91 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.96), that's roughly $59,568 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,787/month, about 45.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $60K get you in Charleston-North Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston-North Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (100.96). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About construction and building inspectors
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What this looks like in Charleston-North Charleston
Pay for construction and building inspectors in Charleston-North Charleston runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $75K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,787/month, which is 44.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.96) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for construction and building inspectorss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for construction and building inspectors in metros near Charleston-North Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $46K | $49K |
| Columbia | $62K | $67K |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $60K | $64K |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | $56K | $57K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston-North Charleston, SC
Entry-level construction and building inspectors (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $48K spread from bottom to top.
Construction and Building Inspectors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Construction and Building Inspectors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $102K | +37% | 270 |
| California | $101K | +36% | 13,420 |
| Connecticut | $99K | +32% | 1,430 |
| Washington | $96K | +29% | 3,090 |
| Minnesota | $89K | +19% | 1,390 |
| District of Columbia | $86K | +15% | 370 |
| Oregon | $85K | +13% | 1,780 |
| Massachusetts | $83K | +11% | 4,290 |
| New Jersey | $82K | +9% | 5,950 |
| Colorado | $80K | +7% | 3,700 |
| New York | $79K | +6% | 11,160 |
| Hawaii | $79K | +6% | 710 |
| North Dakota | $79K | +5% | 180 |
| Illinois | $78K | +5% | 2,560 |
| Rhode Island | $77K | +4% | 270 |
| Maryland | $77K | +3% | 2,780 |
| Montana | $76K | +1% | 290 |
| Virginia | $76K | +1% | 6,550 |
| Wisconsin | $76K | +1% | 1,270 |
| Nevada | $75K | +1% | 1,780 |
| Maine | $75K | -0% | 710 |
| Ohio | $74K | -0% | 3,490 |
| Utah | $74K | -1% | 1,240 |
| Arizona | $73K | -2% | 3,330 |
| Delaware | $73K | -3% | 570 |
| Iowa | $72K | -4% | 1,140 |
| Michigan | $71K | -5% | 3,090 |
| Louisiana | $68K | -9% | 1,440 |
| Florida | $68K | -9% | 13,860 |
| Vermont | $67K | -11% | 120 |
| North Carolina | $66K | -12% | 6,490 |
| Georgia | $66K | -12% | 4,510 |
| Pennsylvania | $66K | -12% | 5,320 |
| New Hampshire | $66K | -12% | 420 |
| New Mexico | $65K | -12% | 800 |
| Nebraska | $65K | -13% | 570 |
| South Dakota | $65K | -13% | 200 |
| Texas | $65K | -13% | 18,230 |
| West Virginia | $64K | -14% | 540 |
| Idaho | $64K | -15% | 1,000 |
| Kansas | $63K | -15% | 840 |
| Missouri | $63K | -16% | 1,640 |
| Indiana | $63K | -16% | 2,110 |
| Wyoming | $62K | -17% | 370 |
| Alabama | $61K | -18% | 1,420 |
| Kentucky | $60K | -19% | 1,380 |
| Tennessee | $60K | -20% | 2,500 |
| Oklahoma | $59K | -21% | 2,090 |
| South Carolina | $59K | -21% | 2,500 |
| Arkansas | $53K | -29% | 800 |
| Mississippi | $50K | -33% | 800 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a construction and building inspector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston-North Charleston?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 44.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,787/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for construction and building inspectors in Charleston-North Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new construction and building inspectors typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,255/month. At HUD’s $1,787/month FMR, rent would take 79% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is construction and building inspector a high-paying job in Charleston-North Charleston?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $60K here vs. $75K nationally.
How does Charleston-North Charleston compare to the national average for construction and building inspectors?
Charleston-North Charleston pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — below the national median.
How much do construction and building inspectors make in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?
The median is $60,140 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,590, and experienced construction and building inspectors can clear $85,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Charleston-North Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,012/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,787/month, which eats 44.5% 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 construction and building inspectors salary go in Charleston-North Charleston?
Charleston-North Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 100.96 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median construction and building inspectors salary is worth about $59,568 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do construction and building 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.