Statewide pay Government data
Building inspectors in South Carolina earn a statewide median of $58,840 a year, 13% below the typical U.S. metro, ranking #49 of 50 states and DC. About 2,500 people work in the trade statewide.
Statewide pay range
States ranked near South Carolina
See all states on the building inspectors nationwide.
Pay by city Government data
BLS publishes building inspector pay for 7 South Carolina metros: Charleston, Columbia, Florence, Greenville, Hilton Head Island, Myrtle Beach and Spartanburg.
| Metro | Median pay | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| SpartanburgSOUTH CAROLINA · SC | $63,340 | $69,565 | 90 |
| ColumbiaSOUTH CAROLINA · SC | $62,410 | $66,633 | 450 |
| CharlestonSOUTH CAROLINA · SC | $60,140 | $59,567 | 460 |
| Myrtle BeachSOUTH CAROLINA · SC | $59,600 | $63,647 | 170 |
| FlorenceSOUTH CAROLINA · SC | $57,590 | $66,368 | 60 |
| Hilton Head IslandSOUTH CAROLINA · SC | $56,160 | $57,296 | 120 |
| GreenvilleSOUTH CAROLINA · SC | $45,700 | $49,003 | 600 |
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 South 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 South Carolina Official source
The main state licensing office in South Carolina is the South Carolina Contractors' Licensing Board. It can point you to the right license for building inspectors.
Official South Carolina licensing site ↗
Requirements for building inspectors vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
Union membership
In 2025, 2.7% of wage and salary workers in South Carolina were union members, below the U.S. rate of about 10% (#49 of 51 states and D.C.), and 4.1% 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 South Carolina
All trades in South Carolina.