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Construction and Building Inspectors
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.
Other titles employers use
Building Code Administrator · Building Inspector · Building Official · Code Enforcement Officer · Code Inspector · Combination Building Inspector · Construction Inspector · Electrical Inspector
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- 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.
- Inspect and monitor construction sites to ensure adherence to safety standards, building codes, or specifications.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical, organizing and analytical work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
Subjects to know
- Building and Construction
- Public Safety and Security
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Design
Useful strengths
- Problem Sensitivity
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Inductive Reasoning
- Oral Comprehension
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.6 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 3.4 | Up and down through the day |
| Talking face to face | 4.7 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 2.2 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A certificate or some college 40%
- High school or less 36%
- A four-year degree 16%
- A two-year degree 4%
- A master's degree 4%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Project management software
- Word processing software
- Electronic mail software
- Computer aided design CAD software
- Accounting software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 15,770
- Job openings each year
- 1,840
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 9.6%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 15,770 | 1,840 | 9.6% |
| Texas | 15,510 | 1,810 | 9.8% |
| California | 14,100 | 1,620 | 4.4% |
| New York | 10,350 | 100 | 11.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 5,820 | 660 | −1.0% |
| North Carolina | 5,800 | 670 | 8.2% |
| New Jersey | 5,550 | 620 | −3.1% |
| Colorado | 5,090 | 600 | 11.6% |
| Virginia | 4,590 | 510 | −2.8% |
| Maryland | 4,470 | 510 | 3.2% |
| Washington | 4,140 | 540 | 13.4% |
| Michigan | 3,710 | 410 | −5.4% |
| Ohio | 3,470 | 390 | −3.1% |
| Georgia | 3,360 | 390 | 5.0% |
| Illinois | 3,260 | 370 | −1.8% |
| Arizona | 2,670 | 300 | 3.1% |
| South Carolina | 2,520 | 290 | 3.3% |
| Indiana | 2,020 | 230 | 2.0% |
| Utah | 1,840 | 220 | 20.3% |
| Missouri | 1,790 | 200 | −1.1% |
| Oklahoma | 1,770 | 200 | 3.5% |
| Tennessee | 1,750 | 200 | 4.8% |
| Wisconsin | 1,680 | 190 | 5.7% |
| Oregon | 1,420 | 170 | 7.6% |
| Massachusetts | 1,410 | 160 | — |
| Alabama | 1,360 | 150 | −2.2% |
| Minnesota | 1,310 | 150 | — |
| Louisiana | 1,290 | 150 | — |
| Kentucky | 1,220 | 140 | — |
| Arkansas | 1,150 | 130 | — |
| Mississippi | 1,140 | 130 | 1.8% |
| Connecticut | 1,090 | 130 | 10.1% |
| Iowa | 1,080 | 120 | 2.9% |
| Nevada | 1,080 | 120 | 3.8% |
| Kansas | 950 | 110 | −1.0% |
| Maine | 760 | 80 | −5.0% |
| Delaware | 620 | 70 | −3.1% |
| West Virginia | 610 | 70 | 3.4% |
| Nebraska | 600 | 70 | — |
| New Mexico | 600 | 70 | 3.4% |
| Puerto Rico | 590 | 70 | 3.5% |
| New Hampshire | 450 | 50 | 2.3% |
| Idaho | 440 | 50 | 2.3% |
| Montana | 410 | 50 | 5.1% |
| District of Columbia | 330 | 40 | 3.1% |
| Rhode Island | 290 | 30 | — |
| Alaska | 280 | 30 | 7.7% |
| Wyoming | 250 | 30 | 4.2% |
| South Dakota | 230 | 30 | 4.5% |
| North Dakota | 210 | 20 | — |
| Vermont | 150 | 20 | 7.1% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
The University of Texas at San Antonio
- Degrees each year
- 76
- Admit rate
- 88%
- Annual cost after aid
- $9,000
Rowan University
- Degrees each year
- 56
- Admit rate
- 78%
- Annual cost after aid
- $19,000
Tuskegee University
- Degrees each year
- 12
- Admit rate
- 31%
- Annual cost after aid
- $35,000
Thomas Jefferson University
- Degrees each year
- 4
- Admit rate
- 86%
- Annual cost after aid
- $25,000
SUNY College of Technology at Delhi
- Degrees each year
- 2
- Admit rate
- 88%
- Annual cost after aid
- $19,000
Compare every college offering building/construction finishing, management, and inspection