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Building Inspector pay in Ohio

Statewide and by city · BLS, May 2025

$74,490statewide median a year
$35.81median an hour
#22of 50 states + DC
3,490building inspectors employed statewide

Statewide pay Government data

Building inspectors in Ohio earn a statewide median of $74,490 a year, 11% above the typical U.S. metro, ranking #22 of 50 states and DC. About 3,490 people work in the trade statewide.

Statewide pay range

$50,440Entry · 10th$62,15025th$74,490Median$82,83075th$100,290Top · 90th

States ranked near Ohio

Wisconsin$75,610
Nevada$75,290
Maine$74,670
Ohio$74,490
Utah$74,130
Arizona$73,440
Delaware$72,700

See all states on the building inspector overview.

Pay by city Government data

MetroMedian payReal payJobs
DaytonOHIO · OH$79,730$86,014170
ColumbusOHIO · OH$76,930$80,581870
CincinnatiOHIO · OH$76,440$80,151630
ClevelandOHIO · OH$74,960$79,810720
ToledoOHIO · OH$74,510$81,472120
AkronOHIO · OH$67,410$72,197170
CantonOHIO · OH$64,960$72,65790
YoungstownOHIO · OH$64,300$73,57580

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 Ohio's rural (nonmetropolitan) regions.

West Northwestern Ohio$75,950
Southern Ohio$70,620
North Northeastern Ohio (noncontiguous)$67,990
Eastern Ohio$64,300

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.

Outdoors, in all kinds of weatherVery often
Indoors with heating and air conditioningOften
Very hot or cold conditionsSometimes
Working at heightsSometimes
Climbing ladders, scaffolds or polesOccasionally
Cramped spaces and awkward positionsOccasionally
Loud noiseOften
Hazardous conditionsOccasionally
Standing, bending, kneeling and walkingOccasionally
SittingSometimes

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 Ohio Official source

The main state licensing office in Ohio is the Ohio Department of Commerce. Home of the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board. It can point you to the right license for building inspectors.

Official Ohio licensing site ↗

Requirements for building inspectors vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.

Cities in Ohio

DaytonOHIO · OH+1.5%population since 2020 · 4.8% unemployment
ColumbusOHIO · OH+4.7%population since 2020 · 4.3% unemployment
CincinnatiOHIO · OH+2.7%population since 2020 · 4.4% unemployment
ClevelandOHIO · OH-0.8%population since 2020 · 4.0% unemployment
ToledoOHIO · OH-1.0%population since 2020 · 5.6% unemployment
AkronOHIO · OH+0.0%population since 2020 · 4.9% unemployment
CantonOHIO · OH-0.2%population since 2020 · 4.9% unemployment
YoungstownOHIO · OH-1.4%population since 2020 · 5.6% unemployment

All trades in Ohio.

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