Construction and Building Inspectors Salary
Construction and Building Inspectors in Montana make a median of $75,700 a year, or about $36.39 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $101K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97), that's roughly $78,041 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,129/month, or 22.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Montana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $76K get you in Montana?
About construction and building inspectors
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What this looks like in Montana
Construction and building inspectors pay in Montana tracks closely to the national median, $76K locally vs. $75K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,129/month, 23.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Montana
Entry-level construction and building inspectors (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $101K or more, a $51K spread from bottom to top.
Construction and Building Inspectors salary by metro in Montana
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bozeman | $97K | +28% | 40 |
| Helena | $81K | +7% | 60 |
| Billings | $75K | -1% | 40 |
| Great Falls | $71K | -6% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track construction and building inspectors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Montana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a construction and building inspector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Montana?
Yes — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 23.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,129/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for construction and building inspectors in Montana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new construction and building inspectors typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,990/month. At HUD’s $1,129/month FMR, rent would take 38% 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 Montana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $76K locally vs. $75K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Montana compare to the national average for construction and building inspectors?
Montana pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $75K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do construction and building inspectors make in Montana?
The median is $75,700 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,840, and experienced construction and building inspectors can clear $100,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Montana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,857/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,129/month, which eats 23.2% 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 Montana?
Montana has a Regional Price Parity of 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 construction and building inspectors salary is worth about $78,041 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.