Transportation Inspectors Salary
In New York, transportation inspectors earn $93,420 at the median, or about $44.91 an hour. The range runs from $67K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.21), that's roughly $95,123 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,917/month, about 32.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New York. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $93K get you in New York?
About transportation inspectors
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What this looks like in New York
Transportation inspectors pay in New York tracks closely to the national median, $93K locally vs. $92K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,917/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.21) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New York
Entry-level transportation inspectors (10th percentile) start around $67K. Mid-career wages sit at $93K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Transportation Inspectors salary by metro in New York
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $93K | +0% | 4,000 |
| Rochester | $89K | -4% | 40 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $86K | -8% | 80 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $67K | -29% | 50 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh | $67K | -29% | 30 |
| Syracuse | $67K | -29% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track transportation inspectors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New York numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a transportation inspector afford a 2BR apartment alone in New York?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $93K, rent takes 33.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,917/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/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 York?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new transportation inspectors typically earn — is $67K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,997/month. At HUD’s $1,917/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 York?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $93K locally vs. $92K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does New York compare to the national average for transportation inspectors?
New York pays $93K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $95K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do transportation inspectors make in New York?
The median is $93,420 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,620, and experienced transportation inspectors can clear $97,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $93K enough to live in New York?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,796/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,917/month, which eats 33.1% 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 York?
New York has a Regional Price Parity of 98.21 (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 $95,123 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.