--- title: "Construction Inspector Salary in California: Pay & Jobs" canonical: https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/construction-inspector/california/ description: "Construction Inspector pay in California: BLS average $103,850 (all experience levels), median $101,290, bottom 10% $56,220; 13,420 jobs (BLS OEWS May…" updated: 2026-11-04 wage_source: "BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15" --- 1. [Home](https://highpayingtrades.com/) 2. [Trades](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/) 3. [Construction Inspector](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/construction-inspector/) 4. California California # Construction Inspector pay in *California* What construction and building inspectors earn in California: pay for the state and 23 metro areas, plus job counts and 44 listed training programs. - **$103,850** Average across all experience levels (state) - **$56,220** Entry-level / bottom 10% - **$101,290** Median pay (state) - **$161,550** Top 10% earn over 13,420 jobs in California. Trade Elevator MechanicLineworkerIndustrial Automation TechnicianCrane OperatorOperating EngineerPipefitter & SteamfitterPlumberRefinery & Process OperatorAircraft MechanicElectrical & Electronic Engineering TechnicianIndustrial Electronics TechnicianElectricianHVAC/R TechnicianDiesel MechanicWelderIronworkerMillwrightConstruction InspectorZIP code Pay by percentile ## Construction Inspector pay in California Annual wages. | Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | California | $56,220 | $76,160 | $101,290 | $128,530 | $161,550 | $103,850 | 13,420 | | United States | $47,140 | $58,860 | $74,690 | $94,710 | $114,200 | $77,730 | 146,720 | Annual wages by percentile. ### Metro areas | Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $58,990 | $87,340 | $129,750 | $161,270 | $183,710 | $124,420 | 860 | | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $76,000 | $96,800 | $125,130 | $144,020 | $175,460 | $123,300 | 2,380 | | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $59,540 | $83,430 | $112,550 | $158,100 | $165,150 | $116,130 | 210 | | Vallejo, CA | $59,400 | $78,230 | $108,180 | $129,250 | $154,670 | $106,740 | 190 | | Napa, CA | $59,910 | $79,820 | $106,410 | $116,170 | $124,580 | $102,640 | 50 | | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $60,820 | $79,980 | $103,980 | $124,000 | $161,550 | $104,680 | 1,060 | | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $52,950 | $80,070 | $102,060 | $123,700 | $181,160 | $110,080 | 140 | | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $63,740 | $83,010 | $101,340 | $111,890 | $141,420 | $99,640 | 130 | | Salinas, CA | $69,830 | $83,610 | $100,830 | $118,460 | $148,640 | $104,660 | 90 | | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $50,630 | $72,180 | $100,280 | $121,210 | $158,480 | $99,710 | 3,870 | | Yuba City, CA | $53,890 | $76,380 | $100,240 | $129,070 | $153,490 | $98,360 | 40 | | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $47,850 | $57,390 | $98,680 | $111,200 | $133,260 | $91,890 | 60 | Metro area estimates, BLS, May 2025. Only areas BLS published are shown. At a glance ## How California compares | | | | --- | --- | | Rank by average pay | 1 of 53 states and territories with a BLS estimate | | Average vs U.S. average | +33.6% ($103,850 vs $77,730) | | Median vs U.S. median | +35.6% ($101,290 vs $74,690) | | Median hourly wage | $48.70 | | Bottom 10% to top 10% | $56,220 to $161,550 | | Jobs per 1,000 jobs in the state | 0.74 | | Location quotient | 0.78 (less concentrated than the U.S. average of 1.00) | | Metro areas with a BLS estimate | 23; highest median San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $129,750, lowest El Centro, CA $72,860 | Computed from the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates state and metro files. A location quotient above 1 means the job makes up a larger share of employment in the state than nationally. Training ## Schools and apprenticeships in California We matched 44 construction inspector training options in California: 44 school programs in the NCES IPEDS 2023-24 completions file (151 graduates that year) and 0 registered apprenticeship sponsors in the DOL Office of Apprenticeship partner file. Published annual tuition and fees at 44 of the schools range from $1,128 to $13,279 (College Scorecard). This site covers pay and careers; the school and apprenticeship directory lives on our sister site. [**See construction inspector schools and apprenticeship sponsors in California** Full directory, entry requirements and how to apply · RegisteredTradeSchools.com](https://registeredtradeschools.com/apprenticeships/ca/) Veterans can compare [trade schools approved for the GI Bill](https://veterantradeschools.com/) on VeteranTradeSchools.com. By the [HighPayingTrades Data Team](https://highpayingtrades.com/about/) · Updated Nov 4, 2026 ## Sources **Figures as of BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates (released 2026-05-15) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 (released 2026-08-27).** - **Wages:** U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15 ([news release USDL-26-0725](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ocwage_05152026.htm); [data tables](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm)). Cross-checked against the BLS Public Data API on 2026-11-04. - **Occupation:** O\*NET OnLine, [47-4011.00 Construction and Building Inspectors](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/47-4011.00), retrieved 2026-11-04 (CC BY 4.0). - **Apprenticeship sponsors:** U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship: partner sponsors file, retrieved 2026-10-29 ([Partner Finder](https://www.apprenticeship.gov/partner-finder)). - **Schools & graduates:** U.S. Department of Education, NCES IPEDS Completions 2023-24 (C2024\_A) and Institutional Characteristics (HD2024), award year 2023-24, matched by 6-digit CIP code ([completions file](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/datacenter/data/C2024_A.zip); [CIP-SOC crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/Files/CIP2020_SOC2018_Crosswalk.xlsx)). - **Tuition:** U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (Most Recent Cohorts: Institution + Field of Study), data updated 2026-10-15, matched by IPEDS unit ID ([source](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/)). Program listings are matched from public files by occupation code or organization name; they are not endorsements and we have not visited or tested any program. Confirm schedules, entry requirements and costs with the program. Compiled by the HighPayingTrades Data Team; last refreshed 2026-11-04. --- Canonical HTML: https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/construction-inspector/california/ Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15 (https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ocwage_05152026.htm). Programs: NCES IPEDS 2023-24 completions; DOL Office of Apprenticeship. Tuition: College Scorecard.