Building Inspectors in the Aguadilla area earn a median of $38,390 a year, 43% below the typical U.S. metro. That ranks #337 of 338 U.S. metros nationwide.
Within driving distance, the same work pays more in San Juan, but less in Ponce.
It's one of 3 Puerto Rico metros with published pay for this trade; see statewide building inspector pay.
What this means Our calculation
Pay for building inspectors here is in the bottom 20% of U.S. metros.
A summary of the numbers on this page; nothing here is estimated beyond them.
Aguadilla scorecard for building inspectors Our calculation
Grades compare Aguadilla 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).
Compared with nearby metros
Rent in Aguadilla
Typical rent is $507 a month for a 1-bedroom and $613 for a 2-bedroom.
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 Puerto Rico Official source
Check with local authorities in Puerto Rico. 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 PR metros for building inspectors
| Metro | Median | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San JuanPUERTO RICO · PR | $45,090 | — | 560 |
| AguadillaPUERTO RICO · PR | $38,390 | — | 40 |
| PoncePUERTO RICO · PR | $25,530 | — | 70 |
See every metro in Puerto Rico.
How much work is there? Government data
Getting to work
The average commute in the Aguadilla area is 25 minutes each way, longer than the typical metro (24 min). 13% of commuters spend 45 minutes or more. 79% drive alone, 0% take transit and 10% work from home (all workers, not just trades).
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table S0801).
Homes in Aguadilla
The Aguadilla area has about 126,694 homes. 52% were built before 1980 (typical metro 45%), so its housing is older than most; 6% 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 $154,900.
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table DP04).
New construction
In 2025 the Aguadilla area approved permits for 716 new homes (519 single-family), or 2.8 per 1,000 residents, ranking #234 of 393 metros.
Employee vs. working for yourself Your scenario
A model, not a market rate. It shows the minimum you'd need to bill to match a $38,390 employee salary once you cover what an employer normally pays for. Change any number.
Minimum billing rate
How this calculator works. 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 Aguadilla with another city →
About this data
- Pay: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2025, local to this metro.
- Pay over time: BLS OEWS May 2020–2025, local; inflation from the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U).
- Real pay: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024, local.
- Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027, local (county rents weighted by population).
- Job outlook, education, training: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national.
- Duties: O*NET 31.0, national.
- Safety: BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2023–2024, national.
- New construction: Census Building Permits, 2021–2025, local.
- Housing: Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year, local (age of homes, ownership, home values).
- Population: Census Bureau population estimates, 2020–2025, local.
- Commute: Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year, local, all workers.
- Unemployment: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2021–2025 annual averages, local, all workers (2025 preliminary).
- Competition: Census Nonemployer Statistics 2024 and County Business Patterns 2023, local, reported by industry, so related trades can share one figure.
- Jobs are employment estimates, not open positions. Grades rank this metro against all others for the same trade.
Report a data issue on this page
BEA doesn't publish price levels for Aguadilla, so real pay isn't shown. The Census doesn't publish one-person business or competition figures for building inspectors as a separate industry, so that section is left out.