Transportation Inspectors Salary
In Ohio, transportation inspectors earn $77,010 at the median, or about $37.02 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $143K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.45), which stretches that salary to about $84,210 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,188/month, or 23.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Ohio. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $77K get you in Ohio?
About transportation inspectors
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What this looks like in Ohio
Pay for transportation inspectors in Ohio runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $92K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,188/month, 23.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Ohio can be a reasonable trade-off for transportation inspectorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ohio
Entry-level transportation inspectors (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $143K or more, a $105K spread from bottom to top.
Transportation Inspectors salary by metro in Ohio
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | $120K | +56% | 120 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $89K | +16% | 30 |
| Columbus | $88K | +14% | 80 |
| Cleveland | $64K | -17% | 120 |
Compare to other states
Track transportation inspectors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Ohio numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a transportation inspector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ohio?
Yes — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 23.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,188/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for transportation inspectors in Ohio?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new transportation inspectors typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,262/month. At HUD’s $1,188/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Ohio?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $77K here vs. $92K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Ohio compare to the national average for transportation inspectors?
Ohio pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — below the national median.
How much do transportation inspectors make in Ohio?
The median is $77,010 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,700, and experienced transportation inspectors can clear $143,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in Ohio?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,095/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,188/month, which eats 23.3% 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 Ohio?
Ohio has a Regional Price Parity of 91.45 (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 $84,210 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.