Construction and Building Inspectors Salary
Construction and Building Inspectors in Decatur, AL make a median of $58,440 a year, or about $28.1 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers.
So what does $58K get you in Decatur?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Decatur’s Regional Price Parity (87.2). 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 Decatur
Pay for construction and building inspectors in Decatur runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $75K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $961/month, 24.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.2 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Decatur can be a reasonable trade-off for construction and building inspectorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for construction and building inspectors in metros near Decatur, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $64K | , |
| Huntsville | $61K | , |
| Mobile | $61K | , |
| Montgomery | $62K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Decatur, AL
Entry-level construction and building inspectors (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $27K 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 states
Track construction and building inspectors salary changes
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Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a construction and building inspector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Decatur?
Yes — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 24.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $961/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for construction and building inspectors in Decatur?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new construction and building inspectors typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,796/month. At HUD’s $961/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Decatur?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $58K here vs. $75K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Decatur compare to the national average for construction and building inspectors?
Decatur pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — below the national median.
How much do construction and building inspectors make in Decatur, AL?
The median is $58,440 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,600, and experienced construction and building inspectors can clear $73,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Decatur?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,853/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $961/month, which eats 24.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a construction and building inspectors salary go in Decatur?
Decatur has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median construction and building inspectors salary is worth about $67,018 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.