Career Explorer Construction and trades
Changing shape
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.
Changing faster than most: more resilient than 26% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is moderate (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it high), and US jobs are projected to change by 0.0% by 2035, slower than average. The work leans on ethical judgement.
AI can do many of the tasks, and hiring is expected to grow slower than average or to shrink. The job is likely to change, so build the human parts of it.
- Median pay (2025)
- $74,690
- Job growth to 2035
- 0.0%
- Openings a year
- 14,800
- People doing it (2025)
- 154,000
- Usual route in
- High school diploma, then moderate on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Identify business or organizational opportunities
- Explain regulations, policies, or procedures
- Read documents or materials to inform work processes
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Analyze data to improve operations
- Inspect facilities or equipment
- Monitor operations to ensure compliance with regulations or standards
What the work looks like
- 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.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- Fewer of these jobs, as more remote inspection technology is used.
- Fewer of these jobs, as more localities use remote inspection technology.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Pest control workersHuman edge, growing, Index 72, +5.5%
- First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workersHuman edge, growing, Index 83, +3.8%
- Traffic techniciansHuman edge, growing, Index 56, +4.0%
- Private detectives and investigatorsGrows with AI, Index 58, +5.5%
Also known as: Building Code Administrator, Building Inspector, Building Official, Construction Inspector, Energy Auditor, Energy Consultant, Energy Rater, Home Performance Consultant.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.