Quality Control Inspector Salary in Virginia

$36/hr

Virginia construction inspection wages help you compare field assignments, report writing expectations, travel arrangements and responsibility for findings.

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What Quality Control Inspectors Earn in Virginia

Virginia employee wages for construction and building inspectors span $24.08–$50.23/hr, or $50,090–$104,480 a year. The occupation includes government code inspectors alongside construction inspection roles. It covers a broader workforce than contractor QC. Match an offer to the inspection discipline, required credentials and reporting load. Ask how the employer records field visits, office work and travel between sites. Put those expectations in writing when reviewing the offer.

Hourly rates by level in Virginia

What each rung of the trade is paid, before overtime and per diem.

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$24.08–$29.27/hr
▲ 8.15% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$29.27–$42.47/hr
▲ 8.15% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$42.47–$50.23/hr
▲ 8.15% from last year

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Where do you stand?

Enter your hourly rate to see how it compares to other quality control inspectors in Virginia.

What are you making?

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$/ hr

Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.

You're right around the middle

$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.

10th
$18
25th
$23
Median
$29
75th
$36
90th
$45
YOU · $28.00
Your percentile
46th
Among this market
Your annual · 40 hrs
$58,240
Before overtime and per diem
Gap to median
−$2,080
Below the median

Calculate pay with extra credentials

Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.

1Your level

2Certifications you hold

3Shift & work type

4Overtime & per diem

Weekly overtime hours8 hrs
Per diem (per day away)$0

An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.

American RecruitsEstimate
Journeyman Quality Control Inspector
Virginia · Day Shift
Base rate$35.87
+ OSHA 30-Hour Construction$1.48
+ OSHA 10-Hour Construction$0.49
+ American Red Cross Adult First Aid/CPR/AED$0.17
Effective hourly$38.01
Straight · 40 hrs$1,520
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$456
Weekly gross$1,977
Annualised · 50 weeks
$98,826
8 OT hrs/week · Virginia

Who pays the most in Virginia

These national sector figures give Virginia applicants context for three construction inspection settings, each with different reporting responsibilities, qualification requirements and working arrangements.

01 / 03$45.32/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Commercial building QC follows plans and specifications during construction. For Virginia vacancies, ask about inspection coverage before work is concealed. Discuss who covers missed inspections and how the employer schedules follow-up visits after corrections.

+ Building focus
+ Construction experience
– Sequence pressure
– Changing sites
02 / 03$36.22/hr

Architectural and Engineering Services

For VDOT materials assignments, ask engineering inspection firms which testing credentials the role requires. Discuss field travel, laboratory coordination and responsibility for reviewing disputed findings with the employer before accepting an offer.

+ Technical support
+ Varied assignments
– Client deadlines
– Travel demands
03 / 03$35.54/hr

Local Government

Local building departments enforce Virginia codes through inspections and records. Read the vacancy's DHCD certification timetable and assigned inspection disciplines. Ask how the department supports required classes and balances site visits with public inquiries.

+ Enforcement pathway
+ Defined jurisdiction
– Certification deadlines
– Public disputes

Which states pay quality control inspectors the most

Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.

  1. 01California$48.70/hr
  2. 02Virginiathis page$36.38/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$1.48$3,078$1593 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.49$1,019$594 weeks
USACE/NAVFAC Construction Quality Management for Contractors (CQM-C)+$0.44$915$755 weeks
American Red Cross Adult First Aid/CPR/AED+$0.17$354$10215 weeks
ACI Concrete Field Testing Technician - Grade I+$0.40$832$57536 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $36.38/hr.

40 hr week
$1,455
No OT
50 hr week
$2,001
+$27,285/yr
60 hr week
$2,547
+$54,570/yr
70 hr week
$3,092
+$81,855/yr

Questions workers ask

Can I earn as an independent third-party building inspector?▾
Yes, if DHCD certifies you. Virginia requires third-party inspection agents doing code enforcement work to complete the DHCD certification pathway of academy classes and recognized exams. Ask each local building department how it accepts third-party reports.
Should report writing count toward overtime?▾
Yes, if you are nonexempt. Required report preparation is work time, including work done away from the site, so record uploads and corrections with field hours. Virginia applies federal overtime rules and exemptions, and DOLI enforces overtime earned from July 1, 2026.
Can I keep working as a code inspector without continuing education?▾
No. DHCD requires 16 hours of continuing education every two years, plus periodic mandatory training, to keep certificates active under 13VAC5-21-51. Missing the hours makes a certificate inactive, so track hours across each two-year cycle.

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Current BLS Virginia employee wages for Construction and Building Inspectors, SOC 47-4011; construction and building inspectors, including government code inspectors, excluding premium pay and benefits.

Last updated October 26, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.