SOC 47-4011 · Columbia, MO metro

Construction and Building Inspectors Salary in Columbia, MO

The average salary for construction and building inspectors in Columbia, Missouri is $61,890 a year ($29.76 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $61,170: half of the 50 people in this job in the Columbia, MO metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 20% less than the U.S. average for this job ($77,730).

$61,890average per year

$29.76 / hourMedian $61,170Take-home ≈ $49,937

  • $47K10th
  • $52K25th
  • $61KMedian
  • $71K75th
  • $76K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

50people in this job
-20%vs U.S. average
#5 of 6Missouri metros
89cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Construction and Building Inspectors pay range in Columbia

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,980 a year or less, while the top 10% make $76,210 or more. The middle half of construction and building inspectors in Columbia earn between $52,010 and $70,550.

  • $47K10th
  • $52K25th
  • $61KMedian
  • $71K75th
  • $76K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$61,890$5,158$29.75
Median$61,170$5,098$29.41
Entry level (25th percentile)$52,010$4,334$25.00
Experienced (75th percentile)$70,550$5,879$33.92

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Construction and Building Inspectors pay in Columbia vs. Missouri and the U.S.

Construction and building inspectors in Columbia earn 5% less than the Missouri average ($65,140) and 20% less than the U.S. average ($77,730). At the median the gap is -18% against the U.S. median of $74,690.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Columbia$61,890$61,170$46,980$76,21050
Missouri$65,140$62,970$46,980$87,6901,640
United States$77,730$74,690$47,140$114,200146,720

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Construction and Building Inspectors salary after taxes in Columbia

On the average salary of $61,890, a single filer in Columbia takes home about $49,937 a year, or $4,161 a month and $1,921 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). The 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.

Missouri paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Columbia a good place for construction and building inspectors? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Columbia area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 89.4), so the average $61,890 buys what about $69,199 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbia ($47,260). A typical home costs $323,951, or 5.2 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $61,890 is worth in another city

Construction and Building Inspectors salary in other Missouri cities

Columbia ranks 5th of 6 Missouri metro areas for this job; Kansas City pays the most ($71,080).

All Construction and Building Inspectors salaries in Missouri

Highest-paying cities for construction and building inspectors

San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($124,420).

Construction and Building Inspectors salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Construction and Building Inspectors in Columbia, MO.

Construction and Building Inspectors salary in Columbia: questions

How much do construction and building inspectors make an hour in Columbia?

$29.76 an hour on average, and $29.41 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level construction and building inspectors salary in Columbia?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,980 a year and the 25th percentile is $52,010, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the construction and building inspectors take-home pay in Columbia?

About $49,937 a year ($4,161 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $61,890. The 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.

Do construction and building inspectors earn more in Columbia than elsewhere?

The average here is 20% less than the U.S. average for this job ($77,730).

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 Columbia, MO (17860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • 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 (2026 rules). The 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.45, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.45).

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.