Transportation Inspectors pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,870 a year or less, while the top 10% make $132,410 or more. The middle half of transportation inspectors in San Diego earn between $66,480 and $100,890.
- $41K10th
- $66K25th
- $83KMedian
- $101K75th
- $132K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $85,760 | $7,147 | $41.23 |
| Median | $83,000 | $6,917 | $39.90 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $66,480 | $5,540 | $31.96 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $100,890 | $8,408 | $48.50 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Transportation Inspectors pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Transportation inspectors in San Diego earn 3% less than the California average ($88,500) and 3% less than the U.S. average ($88,540). At the median the gap is -10% against the U.S. median of $92,100.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $85,760 | $83,000 | $40,870 | $132,410 | 180 |
| California | $88,500 | $83,000 | $40,790 | $144,460 | 1,790 |
| United States | $88,540 | $92,100 | $40,330 | $138,670 | 24,500 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Transportation Inspectors salary after taxes in San Diego
On the average salary of $85,760, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $65,278 a year, or $5,440 a month and $2,511 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Diego a good place for transportation inspectors? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Diego area are 12% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.9), so the average $85,760 buys what about $76,649 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 11.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Transportation Inspectors salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 4th of 8 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($107,210).
- San Francisco$107,210
- Riverside$93,380
- Los Angeles$92,750
- San Diego$85,760
- Fresno$84,860
- Sacramento$80,970
- Vallejo$78,260
- Bakersfield$72,600
Highest-paying cities for transportation inspectors
Anchorage, AK pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($128,300).
- Anchorage, AK$128,300
- Minneapolis, MN$127,870
- Seattle, WA$122,750
- Oklahoma City, OK$122,140
- Orlando, FL$118,170
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Transportation Inspectors salary in San Diego: questions
How much do transportation inspectors make an hour in San Diego?
$41.23 an hour on average, and $39.90 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level transportation inspectors salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,870 a year and the 25th percentile is $66,480, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the transportation inspectors take-home pay in San Diego?
About $65,278 a year ($5,440 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $85,760. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do transportation inspectors earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is 3% less than the U.S. average for this job ($88,540).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 53-6051; area San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.5%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.73, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.73).
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