Building Inspectors in the Utica area earn a median of $64,190 a year, 5% below the typical U.S. metro. That ranks #208 of 338 metros for building inspector salaries across the U.S..
Within driving distance, the same work pays more in Syracuse and Watertown, but less in Ithaca.
It's one of 13 New York metros with published pay for this trade; see statewide building inspector pay.
Building Inspector pay in Utica at a glance
- Building inspectors in the Utica, NY metro earn a median $64,190 a year ($30.86 an hour), #208 of 338 U.S. metros (BLS, May 2025).
- The middle 80% earn between $44,960 and $100,930.
- After local prices, that median buys what $69,261 would in a typical U.S. place (BEA, 2024).
- A typical 1-bedroom rents for $946 a month, 18% of the median pay (HUD, FY2027).
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Enter a rate to see where it falls among building inspectors in Utica.
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What this means Our calculation
Pay for building inspectors here is below average compared with other U.S. metros, and about average once local prices are factored in. For the wider job market, unemployment is about the same as in most metros (3.9%) and the population is shrinking (-2.0% since 2020).
Utica scorecard for building inspectors Our calculation
Grades compare Utica with every other U.S. metro for this trade (A = top 20%).
Pay Government data
Pay range
Shaded: the middle half of workers. Grey line: typical U.S. metro ($67,380).
Pay over time
The median pay for building inspectors in the Utica area went from $50,880 in 2020 to $64,190 in 2025, up 26.2%. Prices rose 25% over the same period, so after inflation that's +0.6% — roughly keeping pace.
BLS OEWS, May 2020–May 2025; inflation: CPI-U (May to May). Year-to-year changes can include survey noise.
Compared with nearby metros
What the pay is really worth in Utica Our calculation
Prices in the Utica area run 7% below the U.S. average. Adjusted for that, a median paycheck here buys what $69,261 would in a typical place, ranking #198 of 335 on real pay.
Real pay or rent burden?
Real pay already accounts for housing, because the price index includes rent. Rent burden shows what share of pay a typical 1-bedroom takes. Use either one, not both together.
Want the full picture? Build a Utica budget on this pay from this pay, local rent and prices.
What building inspectors 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.
Most important day-to-day tasks
- Approve building plans that meet required specifications.
- Review and interpret plans, blueprints, site layouts, specifications, or construction methods to ensure compliance to legal requirements and safety regulations.
- Issue permits for construction, relocation, demolition, or occupancy.
- 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.
- Monitor installation of plumbing, wiring, equipment, or appliances to ensure that installation is performed properly and is in compliance with applicable regulations.
Outlook & getting started
Nationally, building inspector jobs are projected to grow 0.0% from 2025 to 2035 (all jobs: 3.5%), with about 14,800 openings a year. About 3% are self-employed.
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 New York Official source
New York licenses most trades at the city or county level (e.g. New York City). Check with the building or licensing office where you plan to work.
Requirements for building inspectors vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
On-the-job safety Government data
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.
BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2023–2024 (national, cases with days away from work).
Highest-paying NY metros for building inspectors
| Metro | Median | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New YorkNEW YORK · NY | $90,800 | $80,666 | 10,340 |
| RochesterNEW YORK · NY | $77,340 | $79,703 | 690 |
| BuffaloNEW YORK · NY | $77,040 | $80,381 | 590 |
| SyracuseNEW YORK · NY | $75,610 | $78,973 | 350 |
| WatertownNEW YORK · NY | $74,680 | $85,164 | 80 |
| Kiryas JoelNEW YORK · NY | $72,690 | $66,431 | 350 |
| Glens FallsNEW YORK · NY | $71,210 | $75,064 | 70 |
| AlbanyNEW YORK · NY | $69,450 | $69,753 | 560 |
| BinghamtonNEW YORK · NY | $69,050 | $74,357 | 100 |
| ElmiraNEW YORK · NY | $65,790 | $69,694 | 40 |
See every metro in New York.
How much work is there? Government data
Local job market
The Utica area's unemployment rate was 3.9% in 2025 (all workers, not just building inspectors), below the typical U.S. metro's 4.1%. It was 5.2% in 2021.
BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual averages 2021–2025 (2025 preliminary).
Getting to work
The average commute in the Utica area is 21 minutes each way, shorter than the typical metro (24 min). 9% of commuters spend 45 minutes or more. 74% drive alone, 1% take transit and 10% work from home (all workers, not just trades).
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table S0801).
Population
The Utica area's population shrank 2.0% from 2020 to 2025 (291,308 → 285,611), ranking #362 of 387 metros for growth (typical metro +2.5%). More people moved out than in (net -2,063).
Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year, 2020–2025.
Homes in Utica
The Utica area has about 138,500 homes. 75% were built before 1980 (typical metro 45%), so its housing is older than most; 5% were built in 2010 or later. Older homes often need more repair, replacement and upgrade work. 72% of households own their home, and the median home value is $198,600.
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table DP04).
New construction
New-home permits in Utica are down 32% from 2021 to 2025 (456 → 308).
In 2025 the Utica area approved permits for 308 new homes (219 single-family), or 1.1 per 1,000 residents, ranking #354 of 393 metros, a slower building market than most.
Working outdoors in Utica Government data
In an average year, Utica has 5 days at 90°F or hotter (fewer than most metros; typical metro 33), 140 nights below freezing (typical 90) and 95 days with a tenth of an inch of rain or more. Summer afternoons average 78°F and winter nights 17°F. That matters for building inspectors: heat and freezes shape the working season and the hours.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 averages, Utica Oneida Co Airport, NY station. Compare cities on outdoor work weather.
Employee vs. working for yourself Your scenario
A model, not a market rate. It shows the break-even rate to match a $64,190 employee salary once you cover what an employer normally pays for (including the employer half of Social Security and Medicare, 7.65%), then adds your profit margin. Change any number.
Break-even rate
With your profit margin
How this calculator works. Weighing a contractor job against a W-2 one? Try the 1099 vs. W-2 comparison. Billable hours are hours you can charge a customer. Driving, quoting, paperwork and slow weeks aren't billable, which is why 1,400 is a common starting point versus 2,080 paid hours as an employee.
Get building inspector pricing & estimate templates →Compare Utica with another city →
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ToolUtica budgetMonthly take-home, HUD rent and local prices on this pay.About this data
Local to the Utica metro: pay (BLS, May 2025) and pay over time (2020–2025, CPI-adjusted), prices (BEA, 2024), rent (HUD, FY2027), new construction, housing, population and commuting (Census), unemployment (BLS) and business counts (Census, by industry). National: job outlook and training (BLS projections), injury rates (BLS) and duties (O*NET). Jobs are employment estimates, not open positions; grades rank Utica against every other metro for building inspectors. Every source, year and formula is on our data page.
Report a data issue on this page
The Census doesn't publish one-person business or competition figures for building inspectors as a separate industry, so that section is left out.