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Food Inspector salary
Average food inspector salary
$43,824
How much does a food inspector make?
The average food inspector salary in the United States is $43,824. Food inspector salaries typically range between $27,000 and $70,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for food inspectors is $21.07 per hour.
Food inspector salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Food inspectors earn the highest average salary in Pennsylvania.
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Where can a Food Inspector earn more?
Food Inspector salary estimates from across the web
Average food inspector salary by state
Highest paying states for food inspectors
Rank  | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $48,054 | $23.10 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $51,055 | $24.55 |
| 3 | West Virginia | $43,246 | $20.79 |
| 4 | Delaware | $47,621 | $22.89 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $44,306 | $21.30 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $47,204 | $22.69 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $49,884 | $23.98 |
| 8 | Vermont | $44,000 | $21.15 |
| 9 | Arizona | $44,103 | $21.20 |
| 10 | Iowa | $43,514 | $20.92 |
| 11 | New York | $49,158 | $23.63 |
| 12 | Nevada | $44,985 | $21.63 |
| 13 | Maine | $42,354 | $20.36 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $44,644 | $21.46 |
| 15 | Ohio | $43,437 | $20.88 |
| 16 | Indiana | $41,918 | $20.15 |
| 17 | Texas | $44,056 | $21.18 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $40,259 | $19.36 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $43,898 | $21.10 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $46,350 | $22.28 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $45,970 | $22.10 |
| 22 | Virginia | $43,056 | $20.70 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $42,755 | $20.56 |
| 24 | Alabama | $41,800 | $20.10 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $40,695 | $19.56 |
| 26 | Maryland | $47,057 | $22.62 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $43,268 | $20.80 |
| 28 | Kansas | $40,973 | $19.70 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $38,853 | $18.68 |
| 30 | Illinois | $43,655 | $20.99 |
| 31 | California | $45,727 | $21.98 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $36,842 | $17.71 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | $46,283 | $22.25 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $36,711 | $17.65 |
| 35 | Montana | $38,696 | $18.60 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $37,322 | $17.94 |
| 37 | Michigan | $36,888 | $17.73 |
| 38 | Georgia | $38,225 | $18.38 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $35,128 | $16.89 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $42,010 | $20.20 |
| 41 | Florida | $36,038 | $17.33 |
| 42 | Washington | $37,916 | $18.23 |
| 43 | Idaho | $37,411 | $17.99 |
| 44 | Missouri | $38,026 | $18.28 |
| 45 | Colorado | $34,201 | $16.44 |
| 46 | Utah | $35,807 | $17.21 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $35,414 | $17.03 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $32,885 | $15.81 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $33,982 | $16.34 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $31,924 | $15.35 |
| 51 | Oregon | $26,867 | $12.92 |
Highest paying cities for food inspectors
The highest-paying cities for food inspectors are Harrisburg, PA, Laredo, TX, and Carson, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harrisburg, PA | $50,755 | $24.40 |
| 2 | Laredo, TX | $45,938 | $22.09 |
| 3 | Carson, CA | $45,726 | $21.98 |
| 4 | Saint Louis, MO | $38,366 | $18.45 |
| 5 | Winston-Salem, NC | $37,362 | $17.96 |
| 6 | Omaha, NE | $35,680 | $17.15 |
| 7 | Denver, CO | $34,242 | $16.46 |
Food Inspector salary details
A food inspector's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $70,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a food inspector's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
| 75th Percentile | $56,000 | $4,667 | $27 |
| Average | $43,824 | $3,652 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
Highest paying food inspector jobs
The highest paying types of food inspectors are consumer safety inspector, eggs inspector, and route inspector.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Safety Inspector | $50,363 | $4,197 | $24.21 | 32,001 |
| Agriculture Inspector | $45,614 | $3,801 | $21.93 | 16,645 |
| Inspector | $38,757 | $3,230 | $18.63 | 17,670 |
Top companies hiring food inspectors now:
Which companies pay food inspectors the most?
Food inspector salaries at Office of Human Services and Forsyth County are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average food inspector salary at companies like Colorado State Express and Pennsylvania State Treasurer are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Office of Human Services | $43,184 | $20.76 |
| 2 | Forsyth County | $42,703 | $20.53 |
| 3 | Colorado State Express | $42,377 | $20.37 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania State Treasurer | $42,377 | $20.37 |
| 5 | Department of Agriculture and Fisheries | $42,377 | $20.37 |
| 6 | Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania | $37,848 | $18.20 |
| 7 | City of St. Louis | $34,890 | $16.77 |
| 8 | Adecco | $31,115 | $14.96 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Food Inspector salary trends
The average food inspector salary has risen by $4,983 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average food inspector earned $38,841 annually, but today, they earn $43,824 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for food inspectors over the last decade.
Compare food inspector salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average food inspector salary over time
Compare food inspector salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
- National Average
- Columbus, OH
Food Inspector salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $43,800 | $21.07 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $42,700 | $20.52 | +3.0% |
| 2023 | $41,400 | $19.91 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $40,700 | $19.58 | +1.4% |
| 2021 | $40,200 | $19.31 | -1.4% |
Recently added food inspector salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO | Food Inspector | Aberdeen, SD | 12/11/2024 | $37,696 |
| Publicrecords | Food Inspector Slaughter Dollar | Hope, ID | 12/11/2024 | $37,696 |
| Coloradomountaincollege | Food Inspector | Perry, IA | 10/24/2024 | $37,900 |
| Austin Community College | Food Inspector-Up To 5K Recruitment Incentive-Columbus | Ione, OR | 10/24/2024 | $37,696 |
| Thinkag | Agriculture & Food Inspector | Ontario, CA | 10/24/2024 | $37,000 |
| Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO | Food Inspector | Greeley, CO | 10/06/2024 | $44,001 |
| Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO | Food Inspector | Toppenish, WA | 10/04/2024 | $39,576 |
| Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO | Food Inspector | Aberdeen, SD | 10/02/2024 | $37,696 |
| Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO | Food Inspector | Toppenish, WA | 09/26/2024 | $39,576 |
| Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO | Food Inspector | Omaha, NE | 09/26/2024 | $39,956 |
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