Transportation Inspectors Salary
In Texas, transportation inspectors earn $101,440 at the median, or about $48.77 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $149K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $110,876 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,415/month, or 20.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $101K get you in Texas?
About transportation inspectors
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What this looks like in Texas
Transportation inspectors pay in Texas tracks closely to the national median, $101K locally vs. $92K nationwide, a 10% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,415/month, 21.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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, Texas
Entry-level transportation inspectors (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $101K. Top earners bring in $149K or more, a $106K spread from bottom to top.
Transportation Inspectors salary by metro in Texas
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $126K | +24% | 890 |
| Longview | $108K | +6% | 30 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $93K | -9% | 480 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $89K | -12% | 90 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $82K | -19% | 40 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $73K | -28% | 50 |
| Laredo | $70K | -31% | 40 |
| El Paso | $38K | -62% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track transportation inspectors salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a transportation inspector afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
Yes — at the median salary of $101K, rent takes 21.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for transportation inspectors in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new transportation inspectors typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,581/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Texas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $101K locally vs. $92K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Texas compare to the national average for transportation inspectors?
Texas pays $101K median vs. the U.S. average of $92K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $111K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do transportation inspectors make in Texas?
The median is $101,440 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,020, and experienced transportation inspectors can clear $149,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $101K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,646/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 21.3% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $110,876 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.