Transportation Inspectors Salary
In New Jersey, transportation inspectors earn $49,250 at the median, or about $23.68 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $106K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.34), that's roughly $49,577 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,067/month, about 60.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of New Jersey. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $49K get you in New Jersey?
About transportation inspectors
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What this looks like in New Jersey
Pay for transportation inspectors in New Jersey runs about 47% below the U.S. median of $92K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,067/month, which is 61.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 99.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for transportation inspectorss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Jersey
Entry-level transportation inspectors (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $106K or more, a $69K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track transportation inspectors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Jersey numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a transportation inspector afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Jersey?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 61.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,067/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for transportation inspectors in New Jersey?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new transportation inspectors typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,221/month. At HUD’s $2,067/month FMR, rent would take 93% 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 New Jersey?
Local pay runs 47% below the national median — $49K here vs. $92K nationally.
How does New Jersey compare to the national average for transportation inspectors?
New Jersey pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -47%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — below the national median.
How much do transportation inspectors make in New Jersey?
The median is $49,250 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,010, and experienced transportation inspectors can clear $105,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in New Jersey?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,365/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,067/month, which eats 61.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a transportation inspectors salary go in New Jersey?
New Jersey has a Regional Price Parity of 99.34 (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 $49,577 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.