Statewide pay Government data
Building inspectors in Virginia earn a statewide median of $75,660 a year, 12% above the typical U.S. metro, ranking #18 of 50 states and DC. About 6,550 people work in the trade statewide.
Statewide pay range
States ranked near Virginia
See all states on the building inspector overview.
Pay by city Government data
BLS publishes building inspector pay for 9 Virginia metros. The highest-paying is Staunton at $72,070, followed by Richmond and Charlottesville.
| Metro | Median pay | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| StauntonVIRGINIA · VA | $72,070 | $79,087 | 40 |
| RichmondVIRGINIA · VA | $70,790 | $72,340 | 1,140 |
| CharlottesvilleVIRGINIA · VA | $69,380 | $69,978 | 100 |
| WinchesterVIRGINIA · VA | $66,220 | $68,657 | 90 |
| Virginia BeachVIRGINIA · VA | $64,710 | $66,070 | 1,260 |
| RoanokeVIRGINIA · VA | $64,680 | $69,089 | 230 |
| LynchburgVIRGINIA · VA | $64,000 | $71,618 | 100 |
| BlacksburgVIRGINIA · VA | $62,660 | $67,587 | 110 |
| HarrisonburgVIRGINIA · VA | $60,930 | $64,210 | 60 |
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 Virginia'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.
Registered apprenticeships Government data
Of building inspector apprentices in Virginia who finished or left a registered program in fiscal years 2020–2024, 36% completed (U.S.: 51%), about 6 graduates a year. The typical program runs 4,000 hours, about 2 years of full-time work. Search open registered programs near you on the official Apprenticeship Finder.
U.S. Department of Labor, RAPIDS apprentice records (Completion Rate Analysis), FY2020–2024 exits.
Licensing in Virginia Official source
The main state licensing office in Virginia is the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. It can point you to the right license for building inspectors.
Official Virginia licensing site ↗
Requirements for building inspectors vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
Union membership
In 2025, 5.4% of wage and salary workers in Virginia were union members, below the U.S. rate of about 10% (#38 of 51 states and D.C.), and 6.4% 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 Virginia
All trades in Virginia.