Statewide pay Government data
Building inspectors in North Carolina earn a statewide median of $66,080 a year, 2% below the typical U.S. metro, ranking #31 of 50 states and DC. About 6,490 people work in the trade statewide.
Statewide pay range
States ranked near North Carolina
See all states on the building inspectors nationwide.
Pay by city Government data
BLS publishes building inspector pay for 15 North Carolina metros. The highest-paying is Charlotte at $75,570, followed by Rocky Mount and Durham.
| Metro | Median pay | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| CharlotteNORTH CAROLINA · NC | $75,570 | $77,629 | 1,760 |
| Rocky MountNORTH CAROLINA · NC | $74,790 | $84,977 | 40 |
| DurhamNORTH CAROLINA · NC | $73,590 | $75,421 | 310 |
| RaleighNORTH CAROLINA · NC | $67,840 | $69,114 | 1,760 |
| PinehurstNORTH CAROLINA · NC | $64,870 | $73,436 | 30 |
| WilmingtonNORTH CAROLINA · NC | $63,670 | $66,033 | 290 |
| GreensboroNORTH CAROLINA · NC | $63,560 | $68,443 | 470 |
| BurlingtonNORTH CAROLINA · NC | $62,760 | $67,342 | 50 |
| AshevilleNORTH CAROLINA · NC | $62,320 | $64,576 | 280 |
| FayettevilleNORTH CAROLINA · NC | $61,950 | $67,353 | 200 |
| JacksonvilleNORTH CAROLINA · NC | $61,670 | $66,971 | 80 |
| GreenvilleNORTH CAROLINA · NC | $59,870 | $67,725 | 80 |
| HickoryNORTH CAROLINA · NC | $59,800 | $67,581 | 70 |
| GoldsboroNORTH CAROLINA · NC | $59,120 | $66,831 | 30 |
| WinstonNORTH CAROLINA · NC | $58,490 | $63,546 | 210 |
Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (metro-level). Real pay: BEA price parities, 2024. How we calculate
Pay outside the cities Government data
BLS also reports pay for North Carolina's rural (nonmetropolitan) regions.
BLS OEWS nonmetropolitan areas, May 2025.
The job (national)
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.
Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 0.0% from 2025 to 2035, with about 14,800 openings a year. Typical training: moderate-term on-the-job training.
Nationally, building inspectors have 58 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 34% below the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is falls, slips and trips.
What the work is like Government data
How often building inspectors deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes medium preparation (vocational training or an apprenticeship, often 1–2+ years).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Licensing in North Carolina Official source
The main state licensing office in North Carolina is the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. Electrical and plumbing/HVAC have their own state boards. It can point you to the right license for building inspectors.
Official North Carolina licensing site ↗
Requirements for building inspectors vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
Union membership
In 2025, 2.5% of wage and salary workers in North Carolina were union members, below the U.S. rate of about 10% (#50 of 51 states and D.C.), and 3.1% were covered by a union contract. These figures cover all jobs in the state, not only building inspectors.
BLS Union Members, 2025 (Current Population Survey), table 5.
Cities in North Carolina
All trades in North Carolina.