Transportation Inspectors Salary
In North Carolina, transportation inspectors earn $84,470 at the median, or about $40.61 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $137K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $91,161 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,284/month, or 23.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $84K actually covers in North Carolina, month by month
About transportation inspectors
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Transportation inspectors pay in North Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $84K locally vs. $92K nationwide, a 8% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,284/month, 24.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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, North Carolina
Entry-level transportation inspectors (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $137K or more, a $102K spread from bottom to top.
Transportation Inspectors salary by metro in North Carolina
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greensboro-High Point | $105K | +25% | 110 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $86K | +1% | 120 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a transportation inspector afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $84K, rent takes 24.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for transportation inspectors in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new transportation inspectors typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,396/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 North Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $84K locally vs. $92K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for transportation inspectors?
North Carolina pays $84K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — below the national median.
How much do transportation inspectors make in North Carolina?
The median is $84,470 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,220, and experienced transportation inspectors can clear $136,970. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,334/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 24.1% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $91,161 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.