Transportation Inspectors Salary
In Columbia, SC, transportation inspectors earn $115,210 at the median, or about $55.39 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $149K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.66), which stretches that salary to about $123,009 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,276/month, or 17.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $115K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (93.66). 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 Columbia
Columbia sits well above the national pay line for transportation inspectors, local pay runs about 25% higher than the U.S. median of $92K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,276/month, 18.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Columbia offers a genuinely strong financial position for transportation inspectorss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for transportation inspectors in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $82K | $87K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $108K | $108K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $86K | $88K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $105K | $113K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, SC
Entry-level transportation inspectors (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $115K. Top earners bring in $149K or more, a $99K 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 Columbia numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a transportation inspector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
Yes — at the median salary of $115K, rent takes 18.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,276/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for transportation inspectors in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new transportation inspectors typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,996/month. At HUD’s $1,276/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Columbia?
Local pay is 25% above the national median — $115K here vs. $92K nationally.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for transportation inspectors?
Columbia pays $115K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s +25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $123K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do transportation inspectors make in Columbia, SC?
The median is $115,210 a year, that works out to about $55 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,940, and experienced transportation inspectors can clear $149,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $115K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,974/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,276/month, which eats 18.3% 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 Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 93.66 (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 $123,009 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.