Construction and Building Inspectors pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,310 a year or less, while the top 10% make $127,210 or more. The middle half of construction and building inspectors in Chicago earn between $62,040 and $105,130.
- $48K10th
- $62K25th
- $83KMedian
- $105K75th
- $127K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $84,690 | $7,058 | $40.72 |
| Median | $82,640 | $6,887 | $39.73 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $62,040 | $5,170 | $29.83 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $105,130 | $8,761 | $50.54 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Construction and Building Inspectors salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $84,690, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $64,358 a year, or $5,363 a month and $2,475 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $65,899 | $5,492 |
| Working in IL | $64,358 | $5,363 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for construction and building inspectors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $84,690 buys what about $81,751 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 4.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Construction and Building Inspectors salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 1st of 6 Illinois metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Chicago$84,690
- Bloomington$81,060
- Champaign$74,980
- Rockford$69,430
- Peoria$66,120
- Springfield$58,180
All Construction and Building Inspectors salaries in Illinois
Highest-paying cities for construction and building inspectors
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($124,420).
- San Jose, CA$124,420
- San Francisco, CA$123,300
- Santa Maria, CA$116,130
- Santa Rosa, CA$110,080
- Vallejo, CA$106,740
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Construction and Building Inspectors salary in Chicago: questions
How much do construction and building inspectors make an hour in Chicago?
$40.72 an hour on average, and $39.73 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level construction and building inspectors salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,310 a year and the 25th percentile is $62,040, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the construction and building inspectors take-home pay in Chicago?
About $64,358 a year ($5,363 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $84,690.
Do construction and building inspectors earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 7% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($79,071).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 47-4011; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.3%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.43, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.43).
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