Government Property Inspectors and Investigators
Investigate or inspect government property to ensure compliance with contract agreements and government regulations.
Also called: Airport Operations Officer · Housing Inspector · Housing Management Representative · Housing Quality Standard Inspector (HQS Inspector) · Neighborhood Conservation Officer · Quality Assurance Specialist
Median pay (national)
$78,420
$46,230–$130,030 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
397,770
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+3%
~33,300 openings/yr
Typical entry
Bachelor's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for government property inspectors and investigators shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $130,030 versus $46,230 at the bottom 10% — 2.8x. The median of $78,420 leaves roughly 66% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +3% from 2024 to 2034 — about as fast as the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 33,300 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 53 states with released data, District of Columbia pays the most for this role (median $103,010, +31% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $46,570 — a 121% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Writing as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Apple iOS, Google Workspace software, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Prepare correspondence, reports of inspections or investigations, or recommendations for action.
- Inspect government property, such as construction sites or public housing, to ensure compliance with contract specifications or legal requirements.
- Examine records, reports, or other documents to establish facts or detect discrepancies.
- Investigate alleged license or permit violations.
- Inspect manufactured or processed products to ensure compliance with contract specifications or legal requirements.
- Collect, identify, evaluate, or preserve case evidence.
- Submit samples of products to government laboratories for testing, as required.
- Investigate applications for special licenses or permits.
- Recommend legal or administrative action to protect government property.
- Testify in court or at administrative proceedings concerning investigation findings.
Tools & technology
- Apple iOS
- Google Workspace software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Word
- Adobe Creative Cloud software
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Adobe Photoshop
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D
- Bentley MicroStation
- Microsoft Windows
- SAP software
- BrioQuery
- Coeus
Knowledge areas
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Public Safety and Security
- Building and Construction
- Law and Government
- Administrative
- Engineering and Technology
- Computers and Electronics