SOC 51-9061

Quality Control Inspector Salary in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY (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 + NY
COL Index: 105.65 (+5.7% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 75.7% Realized
$36,808 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $48,620 $23.38/hr
Effective Tax Drag 18.29% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$8,895 $342.10/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 $23.38 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$2,917/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$350/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,304
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,014
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$705
New York Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$1,871
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$36,808 ($1,415.70 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY Quality Control Inspector Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $48,620
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $36.4k 25th $40.1k Median: $48,620 50th (Median) $48.6k 75th $61.3k 90th $75.0k You: $48,620
10th (Entry) $36,420 $17.51/hr
25th (Junior) $40,060 $19.26/hr
50th (Median) $48,620 $23.38/hr
75th (Senior) $61,310 $29.48/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $74,950 $36.03/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Quality Control Inspector in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
1
QC Inspector ApprenticeVisual inspection, measurement calipers, rejection log documentation
$32,033$15.40/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified Quality InspectorCMM operation, blueprint GD&T interpretation, non-conformance reports
$46,047$22.14/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Quality Assurance TechSix Sigma green belt, statistical process control (SPC), ISO 9001 audits
$62,064$29.84/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Quality Assurance ManagerPlant quality management system, vendor audits, compliance signoff
$82,084$39.46/hr · 8+ Years
Scaled to the Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY 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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
39% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,203/month Requires minimum annual gross of $48,120
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,423/month Requires minimum annual gross of $56,920
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $23.36/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $22.99/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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY.

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$48,620-$8,895$36,808$1,415.70
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$57,736-$11,083$43,189$1,661.11
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$66,853-$13,272$49,570$1,906.53
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$75,969-$15,951$55,460$2,133.06
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$85,085-$18,997$60,983$2,345.52
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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$48,620/yr
$23.38/hr · SOC 51-9061
Statutory Tax Drag
18.29% Effective
-$8,895 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
39% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$1,864/mo
Post-$1,203/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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY: Market Snapshot

Quality Control Inspector roles in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY report a median annual wage of $48,620, 0.1% above the national median of $48,570. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $36,420 to $74,950, and HUD’s $1,203 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 29.7% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $23.36 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Quality Control Inspector

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lexington Park, MD$92,000+89.2%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$76,800+58.0%
Savannah, GA$72,800+49.7%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,950+48.0%
Anchorage, AK$71,470+47.0%
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$68,060+40.0%
Flagstaff, AZ$65,840+35.4%
Bismarck, ND$63,910+31.4%
Lake Charles, LA$63,570+30.7%
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS$63,520+30.6%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$239,990$115.38/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$172,650$83.00/hr
Financial Manager$164,230$78.96/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$164,120$78.90/hr
Sales Managers$163,090$78.41/hr
Advertising and Promotions Managers$156,500$75.24/hr
Human Resources Managers$150,180$72.20/hr
Compensation and Benefits Managers$144,510$69.48/hr
Marketing Managers$144,390$69.42/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$139,570$67.10/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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY (2026) Overview

Quality Control Inspector median pay in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY is $48,620 a year ($23.38/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD. Official 2026 economic data for Quality Control Inspector in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY 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 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?

The median annual wage is $48,620 ($23.38 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $36,420 and $74,950. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Quality Control Inspector in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY after taxes?

On the median wage of $48,620, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $39,218 a year ($3,268 a month) after $9,402 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 19.34%, using 2026 tax rules.