Transportation Inspectors Salary
In Birmingham, AL, transportation inspectors earn $98,470 at the median, or about $47.34 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $159K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.64), which stretches that salary to about $107,453 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,266/month, or 20.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $98K get you in Birmingham?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Birmingham’s Regional Price Parity (91.64). 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 transportation inspectors
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What this looks like in Birmingham
Transportation inspectors pay in Birmingham tracks closely to the national median, $98K locally vs. $92K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,266/month, 20.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for transportation inspectors in metros near Birmingham, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $100K | $88K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $108K | $108K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $127K | $125K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $85K | $89K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Birmingham, AL
Entry-level transportation inspectors (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $159K or more, a $115K spread from bottom to top.
Transportation Inspectors pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Transportation Inspectors salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $123K | +34% | 170 |
| Iowa | $117K | +27% | 60 |
| Oklahoma | $111K | +21% | 470 |
| Hawaii | $108K | +18% | 150 |
| Alabama | $108K | +17% | 670 |
| North Dakota | $106K | +15% | 60 |
| Washington | $104K | +13% | 490 |
| Kansas | $103K | +12% | 210 |
| Florida | $101K | +10% | 1,630 |
| Texas | $101K | +10% | 2,290 |
| Maryland | $101K | +9% | 250 |
| Georgia | $95K | +3% | 880 |
| New York | $93K | +1% | 3,720 |
| Minnesota | $93K | +1% | 310 |
| Connecticut | $92K | -1% | 330 |
| District of Columbia | $90K | -2% | 150 |
| Arkansas | $85K | -8% | 120 |
| North Carolina | $84K | -8% | 380 |
| Kentucky | $84K | -9% | 260 |
| California | $83K | -10% | 1,790 |
| Colorado | $82K | -11% | 460 |
| Pennsylvania | $82K | -11% | 340 |
| South Carolina | $80K | -13% | 440 |
| Indiana | $80K | -13% | 250 |
| Massachusetts | $80K | -14% | N/A |
| Tennessee | $78K | -15% | 420 |
| Oregon | $78K | -15% | 250 |
| Louisiana | $77K | -16% | 130 |
| Ohio | $77K | -16% | 430 |
| Wisconsin | $75K | -18% | 120 |
| South Dakota | $70K | -24% | 100 |
| Virginia | $69K | -26% | 330 |
| Missouri | $65K | -30% | 380 |
| Utah | $64K | -30% | 210 |
| Maine | $64K | -31% | 90 |
| New Mexico | $64K | -31% | 230 |
| Montana | $63K | -32% | 180 |
| Arizona | $62K | -32% | 830 |
| West Virginia | $59K | -36% | 90 |
| Idaho | $54K | -41% | 170 |
| Nevada | $50K | -46% | 430 |
| New Jersey | $49K | -47% | 930 |
| Illinois | $48K | -48% | 1,130 |
| Michigan | $36K | -61% | 540 |
Showing 1–10 of 44 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track transportation inspectors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Birmingham numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a transportation inspector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Birmingham?
Yes — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 20.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,266/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for transportation inspectors in Birmingham?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new transportation inspectors typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,670/month. At HUD’s $1,266/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is transportation inspector a high-paying job in Birmingham?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $98K locally vs. $92K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Birmingham compare to the national average for transportation inspectors?
Birmingham pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $107K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do transportation inspectors make in Birmingham, AL?
The median is $98,470 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,500, and experienced transportation inspectors can clear $159,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Birmingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,075/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,266/month, which eats 20.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a transportation inspectors salary go in Birmingham?
Birmingham has a Regional Price Parity of 91.64 (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 transportation inspectors salary is worth about $107,453 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do transportation 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.