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Construction and Building Inspectors

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipModerate pressure

What they do

Inspect structures using engineering skills to determine structural soundness and compliance with specifications, building codes, and other regulations. Inspections may be general in nature or may be limited to a specific area, such as electrical systems or plumbing.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $74,690 Median per year · $35.91/hr Most earn $47,140–$114,200

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Inspect bridges, dams, highways, buildings, wiring, plumbing, electrical circuits, sewers, heating systems, or foundations during and after construction for structural quality, general safety, or conformance to specifications and codes.
  • Measure dimensions and verify level, alignment, or elevation of structures or fixtures to ensure compliance to building plans and codes.
  • Measure dimensions and verify level, alignment, or elevation of structures or fixtures to ensure compliance to building plans and codes.
  • Conduct inspections, using survey instruments, metering devices, tape measures, or test equipment.
  • Inspect facilities or installations to determine their environmental impact.
  • Inspect and monitor construction sites to ensure adherence to safety standards, building codes, or specifications.

Job outlook

United States
About the same number of jobs by 2035, little or no change · about 14,800 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals35.7%
  • Engineering services19.4%
  • State government, excluding education and hospitals3.7%
  • Self-employed (their own business)3.3%
  • Management, scientific, and technical consulting services2.5%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Most people don't start this job straight out of school. It usually takes a trade certificate or apprenticeship plus about 2 to 4 years of hands-on construction work before you become an inspector.

  1. Construction trade certificate or apprenticeship

    1-2 years

    Learn the basics of building construction, such as carpentry, electrical, or plumbing work, through a certificate program or on-the-job apprenticeship. This gives you the knowledge of codes and building methods that inspectors need.

  2. Maintenance and Repair Worker, General

    1-2 years

    Work on repairing and maintaining buildings and systems, which builds real experience with how structures are put together and where problems show up.

  3. Construction and Building Inspector

    Ongoing

    Check new and existing structures against building codes, plans, and regulations, and write up what needs to be fixed. Many inspectors specialize in areas like electrical or plumbing.

Where it can lead

  1. Senior Building Inspector

    3-5 years of experience first

    You handle more complex projects, train newer inspectors, and often take on plan review. Moving up usually requires strong code knowledge and additional certifications.

  2. Building Official

    5+ years of experience first

    You lead a city or county building department, manage inspectors, and make final decisions on code enforcement. Experience, leadership skills, and often state or local certifications are expected.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take shop, drafting, or CAD classesThese teach you to read plans and work with tools, which are core skills for building inspection.
  • Take math and physicsMeasurement, geometry, and basic physics help you understand how structures carry loads and why codes exist.
  • Get a summer or part-time job on a job site or at a hardware storeEven entry-level work helps you learn construction materials and how buildings go together.
  • Join a skills club like SkillsUSA or a school construction or trades clubThese clubs offer hands-on practice, competitions, and connections with local trade programs.
  • Ask about career-technical programs at your schoolMany high schools offer trade courses or dual-enrollment that can give you a head start on a certificate.

In college

  • Enroll in a construction technology or building trades certificate programA certificate covers building codes and construction methods, which you'll need for the trade experience this career requires.
  • Take courses in building codes, construction materials, or blueprint readingThese classes build the specific knowledge inspectors use every day.
  • Find a paid internship or apprenticeship with a contractor or city building departmentWorking on real projects, or seeing how inspections are done, gives you experience employers look for.
  • Get a campus or part-time job in facilities or maintenanceRepair and maintenance work builds practical knowledge of how buildings and their systems function.
  • Join a student chapter of a construction or building industry groupStudent groups offer networking, guest speakers from the field, and a way to learn about certifications.

Tips for getting started

  • Get comfortable with reading blueprints and building codes early, since this is a big part of the job.
  • Ask local contractors or inspectors whether they would let you shadow them or do a summer job. Real site experience counts for a lot.
  • Look into the certifications that inspectors commonly earn after gaining experience, and find out what your state or local area requires.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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