Inspector salary
Updated Updated for 2026 tax law
An inspector earns a median of $48,570 a year ($23.35 an hour) in the US, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The average is $53,450. About 597,370 people work in this job.
Take-home pay on $48,570
- Gross pay
- $1,868.08
- Federal income tax
- −$140.32
- Social Security (6.2%)
- −$115.82
- Medicare (1.45%)
- −$27.09
- Texas income tax
- $0.00No state income tax on wages
- Take-home pay
- $1,584.85
Annual breakdown
- Gross
- $48,570
- Federal
- $3,648
- FICA
- $3,716
- State + local
- $0
- Net
- $41,206
- Marginal federal rate
- 12.0%
- Marginal state rate
- 0.0%
2026 federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32) and 2026 state rules. Estimates assume wages are your only income and use annual liability, so your actual withholding can differ slightly.
Inspector salary by state
| State | Median salary | Average | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $78,150 | $90,540 | 300 |
| Washington | $64,420 | $74,600 | 12,010 |
| Maryland | $61,790 | $65,920 | 4,600 |
| Hawaii | $59,740 | $61,150 | 650 |
| District of Columbia | $59,730 | $63,660 | 70 |
| Colorado | $58,350 | $60,840 | 5,220 |
| Montana | $58,070 | $63,230 | 580 |
| Wyoming | $57,900 | $61,910 | 990 |
| Delaware | $57,190 | $56,840 | 1,020 |
| Minnesota | $57,170 | $57,480 | 9,710 |
| Connecticut | $57,090 | $61,380 | 7,460 |
| Rhode Island | $54,940 | $60,120 | 1,790 |
| New Hampshire | $54,800 | $57,570 | 3,050 |
| Missouri | $54,420 | $57,510 | 12,480 |
| California | $54,300 | $59,540 | 61,130 |
| Oregon | $54,120 | $58,070 | 5,690 |
| Kansas | $53,680 | $57,550 | 9,300 |
| Maine | $53,570 | $56,060 | 1,800 |
| Massachusetts | $52,270 | $56,530 | 10,650 |
| Arizona | $52,100 | $57,660 | 11,120 |
| Nebraska | $51,270 | $53,230 | 3,350 |
| North Dakota | $50,820 | $58,190 | 1,800 |
| Iowa | $50,740 | $53,950 | 7,230 |
| New York | $49,990 | $54,660 | 19,790 |
| Oklahoma | $49,630 | $53,950 | 7,430 |
| Wisconsin | $49,610 | $52,580 | 17,670 |
| Virginia | $49,590 | $53,310 | 9,830 |
| New Mexico | $49,500 | $56,000 | 1,550 |
| Louisiana | $49,490 | $57,380 | 8,110 |
| Nevada | $49,280 | $59,840 | 4,040 |
| New Jersey | $49,140 | $53,490 | 12,280 |
| Utah | $48,910 | $54,210 | 6,630 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,320 | $52,040 | 25,870 |
| Illinois | $47,920 | $52,070 | 31,700 |
| Indiana | $47,900 | $50,850 | 24,790 |
| Florida | $47,540 | $50,980 | 22,630 |
| Ohio | $47,360 | $51,150 | 32,060 |
| South Dakota | $47,240 | $49,990 | 1,090 |
| West Virginia | $47,010 | $52,240 | 2,720 |
| South Carolina | $46,890 | $49,760 | 13,360 |
| North Carolina | $46,430 | $48,600 | 19,700 |
| Kentucky | $46,280 | $48,720 | 12,880 |
| Texas | $46,210 | $51,370 | 56,390 |
| Vermont | $46,210 | $51,090 | 900 |
| Georgia | $46,130 | $49,790 | 19,980 |
| Tennessee | $45,760 | $48,390 | 17,140 |
| Idaho | $45,130 | $52,120 | 2,900 |
| Arkansas | $44,570 | $46,380 | 5,880 |
| Michigan | $44,490 | $47,070 | 27,980 |
| Mississippi | $40,670 | $45,540 | 6,970 |
| Alabama | $40,010 | $44,280 | 13,120 |
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- Prepress Technician and Worker: $48,690
- Heat Treating Equipment Setter: $48,750
- Coating: $48,250
- Coil Winder: $48,220
- Mixing and Blending Machine Setter: $48,990
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- Foundry Mold and Coremaker: $48,110
BLS occupation: Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (SOC 51-9061). Excludes the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an inspector make an hour?
The median hourly wage is $23.35; the average is $25.70.
Which state pays inspectors the most?
Alaska ($78,150 median), followed by Washington and Maryland.
What is the salary range for an inspector?
The bottom 10% earn under $35,510 and the top 10% earn over $77,860 a year.
How much is $48,570 after taxes?
About $41,206 a year in Texas (no state income tax) or $39,621 in California for a single filer in 2026.
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Estimates for information only — not tax, legal or financial advice.