SOC 51-9061

Quality Control Inspector Salary in Athens-Clarke County, GA (2026)

Data updated · Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology

Tax Tables: 2026 Fed + GA
COL Index: 112.87 (+12.9% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 76.9% Realized
$34,761 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $45,230 $21.75/hr
Effective Tax Drag 17.15% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$7,755 $298.27/check
Category 1 of 6

Wage Benchmarking & After-Tax Paycheck Engine

Dynamic statutory tax calculations based on IRS Publication 15-T and state statutory schedules.

$
2,080 annual statutory base hours $21.75 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$2,714/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$326/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$2,922
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$2,804
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$656
Georgia Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,373
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$34,761 ($1,336.97 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Athens-Clarke County, GA Quality Control Inspector Wage Distribution

Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Percentiles & Career Ladders

Your Salary: $45,230
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $33.6k 25th $39.8k Median: $45,230 50th (Median) $45.2k 75th $56.2k 90th $63.6k You: $45,230
10th (Entry) $33,600 $16.15/hr
25th (Junior) $39,840 $19.15/hr
50th (Median) $45,230 $21.75/hr
75th (Senior) $56,210 $27.02/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $63,590 $30.57/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Quality Control Inspector in Athens-Clarke County, GA
1
QC Inspector ApprenticeVisual inspection, measurement calipers, rejection log documentation
$29,799$14.33/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified Quality InspectorCMM operation, blueprint GD&T interpretation, non-conformance reports
$42,837$20.59/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Quality Assurance TechSix Sigma green belt, statistical process control (SPC), ISO 9001 audits
$57,736$27.76/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Quality Assurance ManagerPlant quality management system, vendor audits, compliance signoff
$76,361$36.71/hr · 8+ Years
Scaled to the Athens-Clarke County, GA medianView National Quality Control Inspector Salary Data
Adjacent Career Pivots & National Pay Differences
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers+$5,140/yr
National median: $53,710
Skill overlap: 84%
Industrial Machinery Mechanics+$15,950/yr
National median: $64,520
Skill overlap: 81%View Salary
Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers+$16,810/yr
National median: $65,380
Skill overlap: 81%
Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping-$2,190/yr
National median: $46,380
Skill overlap: 78%
Category 3 of 6

HUD Fair Market Rent & EPI Living Wage Affordability Index

Evaluating housing affordability vs. net take-home pay in Athens-Clarke County, GA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
38% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,103/month Requires minimum annual gross of $44,120
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,285/month Requires minimum annual gross of $51,400
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $24.96/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $20.75/hr
Category 4 of 6

Hourly Wage to Annual & Overtime Matrix

Translating base hourly pay and 1.5× overtime into net take-home pay based on 2,080 annual work hours in Athens-Clarke County, GA.

Swipe horizontally to inspect full pay schedule
Schedule Total Hours/Wk Gross Annual Est. Taxes Net Take-Home Bi-Weekly Check
Standard (40 hrs)40 hrs$45,230-$7,755$34,761$1,336.97
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$53,711-$9,758$40,730$1,566.53
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$62,191-$11,761$46,698$1,796.09
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$70,672-$13,765$52,667$2,025.65
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$79,153-$16,558$57,845$2,224.82
Category 5 of 6

Interstate MSA Relocation & State Tax Migration Comparator

Calculate required compensation, cost-of-living differences, and annual state/local tax savings between two metropolitan areas.

Equivalent Salary in Austin, TX $83,505 Cost of Living Ratio: 69.6%
Annual State & Local Tax Delta +$8,331/yr Tax savings in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Annual Rent Difference (1BR) -$17,676/yr Based on HUD Fair Market Rents
Net Discretionary Cash Flow Impact

Combining state tax savings and annual rent variance when relocating from San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.

+$26,007/year
Category 6 of 6 · Executive Economic Briefing
2026 Fiscal Intelligence

Quality Control Inspector in Athens-Clarke County, GA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

Estimates compiled from BLS OEWS wages, IRS 2026 withholding rules, HUD Fair Market Rents, and Georgia tax codes.

Market Baseline
$45,230/yr
$21.75/hr · SOC 51-9061
Statutory Tax Drag
17.15% Effective
-$7,755 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
38% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$1,794/mo
Post-$1,103/mo 1BR Rent

Key Economic & Compensation Takeaways

Statutory Withholding Architecture

Frequently Asked Questions

Verified Government Data Sources & Statutory Attribution

Wages sourced from US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS). Rents calibrated to HUD Fair Market Rents. Tax schedules calibrated to IRS IRC Title 26, IRS Pub 15-T, and state statutory revenue codes.

BLS OEWS May 2025 HUD FY2027 FMR IRS 15-T
Metro Pay Comparison SOC 51-9061
2026 Statutory Thresholds
  • Federal Standard Deduction (Single) $16,100
  • FICA OASDI Wage Base Cap $184,500
  • Pre-Tax 401(k) Elective Deferral $24,500
  • HSA Individual Annual Limit $4,400

Quality Control Inspector in Athens-Clarke County, GA: Market Snapshot

Quality Control Inspector roles in Athens-Clarke County, GA report a median annual wage of $45,230, 6.9% below the national median of $48,570. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $33,600 to $63,590, and HUD’s $1,103 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 29.3% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $24.96 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Quality Control Inspector

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lexington Park, MD$92,000+103.4%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$76,800+69.8%
Savannah, GA$72,800+61.0%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,950+59.1%
Anchorage, AK$71,470+58.0%
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$68,060+50.5%
Flagstaff, AZ$65,840+45.6%
Bismarck, ND$63,910+41.3%
Lake Charles, LA$63,570+40.5%
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS$63,520+40.4%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Athens-Clarke County, GA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$164,460$79.07/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$157,340$75.64/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$137,570$66.14/hr
Financial Manager$137,130$65.93/hr
Purchasing Managers$133,630$64.25/hr
Marketing Managers$131,280$63.12/hr
Industrial Production Managers$131,200$63.08/hr
Human Resources Managers$129,490$62.25/hr
Nurse Practitioner$128,140$61.61/hr
Medical and Health Services Managers$126,420$60.78/hr

Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS May 2025, 388 metropolitan areas publishing this occupation; HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents; EPI Family Budget Calculator. Taxes use 2026 federal and state rules. Data last updated .

Regional Labor Market & Career Mobility Network

Explore adjacent occupations and neighboring metropolitan wage benchmarks for peer compensation analysis.

Quality Control Inspector Salary in Athens-Clarke County, GA (2026) Overview

Quality Control Inspector median pay in Athens-Clarke County, GA is $45,230 a year ($21.75/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for Quality Control Inspector in Athens-Clarke County, GA compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.

Quick answers
What is the median salary for a Quality Control Inspector in Athens-Clarke County, GA?

The median annual wage is $45,230 ($21.75 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $33,600 and $63,590. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Quality Control Inspector in Athens-Clarke County, GA after taxes?

On the median wage of $45,230, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $37,014 a year ($3,084 a month) after $8,216 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 18.17%, using 2026 tax rules.