How much do plumbing inspectors make in 2026?
Plumbing inspectors are counted in the BLS construction and building inspectors series: OEWS May 2025 gives the SOC 47-4011 national median as $74,690 a year ($35.91 an hour), with the bottom 10% near $47,140 and the top 10% at $114,200. Plumbing inspection sits at or above that pooled median, and the entry requirement explains why: most jurisdictions want a journeyman or master plumber licence plus field experience, so they are recruiting from a licensed trade with its own strong wages. The technical core is potable water protection — cross-connection control and backflow prevention, air gaps and vacuum breakers — alongside drain, waste and vent sizing and layout, water supply sizing, fixture and trap requirements, water heater installation and relief provisions, and medical gas systems where applicable. Backflow prevention is worth noting separately: many jurisdictions run cross-connection control programmes requiring certified testers and inspectors, and that certification is often a distinct credential that broadens an inspector's scope and pay. Commercial and institutional scope, medical gas endorsement and plans examiner roles fill the upper part of the band. Employment is projected to change by -0.8% through 2034 with roughly 14,800 openings a year. → Full plumbing inspector career guide, career path, credentials & placement →
Note: $74,690 blends every experience level and every setting in this occupation. For pay by level alone, see Pay by Level below.
- Plumbing Inspectors earn a national median $74,690/yr ($35.91/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-4011); the P10 to P90 range is $47,140 to $114,200.
- Plumbing inspection sits at or above the $74,690 pooled median for building inspectors, within a $47,140 to $114,200 band, because jurisdictions normally require a journeyman or master plumber licence.
- Cross-connection control and backflow prevention certification is a distinct, well-paid scope addition, since many jurisdictions run mandated cross-connection programmes.
- Commercial and institutional work — medical gas, large drainage and supply systems, high-rise risers — plus plans examiner roles occupy the top of the band.
US Plumbing Inspector Pay Distribution · BLS OEWS May 2025
Pay by Level · BLS OEWS May 2025
How much do plumbing inspectors earn at each level?
BLS OEWS publishes one blended wage for the whole occupation and does not break pay out by credential or practice level. The levels below distribute the published percentile range across the credential tiers this role actually hires at.
Level medians are aligned to the BLS OEWS May 2025 percentile distribution for SOC 47-4011; GlobalCybers does not yet publish a verified placement sample for this role, so no verified median is shown.
Methodology & Sources
How the numbers on this page are built
Published (BLS): BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 47-4011, United States national estimate. Public, methodologically rigorous, but sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection — so it reflects wages that are already 1–2 years old by the time you read them.
Level and certification medians: distributed across the published BLS percentile range for this SOC code (P10 through P90) according to the credential tiers this occupation actually hires at. They are modeled reference points, not separately surveyed wages.
State and metro figures: modeled — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers state wage index, and for metros by the published metro index for that state. They are estimates of local pay, not BLS state or metropolitan-area observations, and are labelled as modeled in the tables below.
No verified placement sample:GlobalCybers does not yet publish a placement median for this role, so no "verified" figure appears anywhere on this page.
Pay by Career Level
How much does a plumbing inspector earn at each career stage?
Plumbing inspection pay follows licence level and certified scope, especially backflow and medical gas. Each median is anchored to the BLS OEWS distribution for SOC 47-4011.
By State
Which states pay plumbing inspectors the most in 2026?
State figures are modeled estimates — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers salary-calculator state wage index — not BLS state observations. Plumbing inspection is shaped by state plumbing licensure and code adoption: states with strong master plumber licensing have a better-paid recruitment pool that authorities must match, and whether the state adopts the uniform or international plumbing code changes the technical basis of the job.
6 of 51 state guides shown, ranked by median. Bar is relative to California ($85,890), the highest-paying state shown. See all role salary guides →
By Metro
Which cities pay plumbing inspectors the most?
Metro figures are modeled — national median times state wage index times published metro index — not BLS MSA observations. Large metros pay best because their permit stream includes high-rise risers, institutional and healthcare work and active cross-connection control programmes that smaller jurisdictions do not run.
BLS OEWS MSA estimates, May 2025. Nominal pay — weigh each metro against its cost of living before relocating.
Certification Impact
Which certifications raise a plumbing inspector’s pay the most?
Median annual pay before and after each credential, based on GlobalCybers placement data cross-referenced with BLS. License upgrades move the needle most; stackable certs add on top.
Impacts are not additive, the licensing rows share the same career ladder. Browse all 167 certifications →
Trade Comparison
How does plumbing inspector pay compare to related roles?
BLS OEWS national median across the closest trades. Plumbing Inspectors sit mid-pack on median but carry one of the widest P10–P90 spreads, licensing and specialization drive the upside.
BLS OEWS May 2025. Verify plumbing inspector wages on BLS.gov →
Take-Home Pay
What does a plumbing inspector actually take home after taxes?
The medians above are gross base wage.
Estimates use 2026 federal brackets, standard deduction, and 7.65% FICA. Actual take-home varies with filing status, deductions, and local tax.
FAQ
Plumbing Inspector Salary, Frequently Asked Questions
Plumbing Inspector career research journey
Do your homework, then let the network do the rest.Get the job, then keep rising
FreeSet your intent, matching jobs come to you. No applying.
A roadmap to your next licence tier and higher pay band.
Once placed, we cover all certification, licence & career-guide fees.
Hiring plumbing inspectors?
Get a verified shortlist of 3–5 qualified candidates in 48 hours
GlobalCybers verifies active state licenses, trade certifications, Intent and right-to-work status before any candidate reaches your portal. Flat $2,999/mo RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing), up to 3 concurrent roles, or a free trial (pay on hire). 90-day written guarantee.
Related · Plumbing Inspector
Everything for plumbing inspectors in one place
Salary data, licensing, interview prep, and hiring, all cross-linked so you (and search engines) can move through the full plumbing inspector cluster.