Transportation Inspectors Salary
In Missouri, transportation inspectors earn $64,690 at the median, or about $31.1 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $137K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.97), which stretches that salary to about $72,710 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,097/month, or 25.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Missouri. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $65K actually covers in Missouri, month by month
About transportation inspectors
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What this looks like in Missouri
Pay for transportation inspectors in Missouri runs about 30% below the U.S. median of $92K. Rent runs $1,097/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Missouri
Entry-level transportation inspectors (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $137K or more, a $93K spread from bottom to top.
Transportation Inspectors salary by metro in Missouri
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $78K | +21% | 140 |
| Kansas City | $68K | +6% | 90 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Missouri numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a transportation inspector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missouri?
Yes — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 25.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,097/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for transportation inspectors in Missouri?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new transportation inspectors typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,031/month. At HUD’s $1,097/month FMR, rent would take 36% 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 Missouri?
Local pay runs 30% below the national median — $65K here vs. $92K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Missouri compare to the national average for transportation inspectors?
Missouri pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $73K — below the national median.
How much do transportation inspectors make in Missouri?
The median is $64,690 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,370, and experienced transportation inspectors can clear $136,970. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Missouri?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,300/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,097/month, which eats 25.5% 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 Missouri?
Missouri has a Regional Price Parity of 88.97 (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 transportation inspectors salary is worth about $72,710 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.