SOC 51-9061

Quality Control Inspector Salary in Chattanooga, TN-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 + TN
COL Index: 112.89 (+12.9% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 79.7% Realized
$37,328 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $46,820 $22.51/hr
Effective Tax Drag 14.27% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$6,683 $257.04/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 $22.51 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$2,809/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$337/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$3,101
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$2,903
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$679
Tennessee Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$0
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$37,328 ($1,435.68 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Chattanooga, TN-GA Quality Control Inspector Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $46,820
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $36.4k 25th $40.2k Median: $46,820 50th (Median) $46.8k 75th $55.4k 90th $66.8k You: $46,820
10th (Entry) $36,350 $17.48/hr
25th (Junior) $40,240 $19.35/hr
50th (Median) $46,820 $22.51/hr
75th (Senior) $55,410 $26.64/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $66,750 $32.09/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Quality Control Inspector in Chattanooga, TN-GA
1
QC Inspector ApprenticeVisual inspection, measurement calipers, rejection log documentation
$30,847$14.83/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified Quality InspectorCMM operation, blueprint GD&T interpretation, non-conformance reports
$44,343$21.32/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Quality Assurance TechSix Sigma green belt, statistical process control (SPC), ISO 9001 audits
$59,766$28.73/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Quality Assurance ManagerPlant quality management system, vendor audits, compliance signoff
$79,046$38.00/hr · 8+ Years
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 Chattanooga, TN-GA under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
40% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,231/month Requires minimum annual gross of $49,240
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $1,340/month Requires minimum annual gross of $53,600
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $24.97/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $20.79/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 Chattanooga, TN-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$46,820-$6,683$37,328$1,435.68
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$55,599-$8,345$43,918$1,689.15
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$64,378-$10,007$50,508$1,942.62
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$73,156-$11,895$56,872$2,187.37
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$81,935-$14,382$62,637$2,409.10
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 Chattanooga, TN-GA: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$46,820/yr
$22.51/hr · SOC 51-9061
Statutory Tax Drag
14.27% Effective
-$6,683 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
40% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$1,880/mo
Post-$1,231/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 Chattanooga, TN-GA: Market Snapshot

Quality Control Inspector roles in Chattanooga, TN-GA report a median annual wage of $46,820, 3.6% below the national median of $48,570. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $36,350 to $66,750, and HUD’s $1,231 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 31.6% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $24.97 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Quality Control Inspector

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lexington Park, MD$92,000+96.5%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$76,800+64.0%
Savannah, GA$72,800+55.5%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,950+53.7%
Anchorage, AK$71,470+52.6%
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$68,060+45.4%
Flagstaff, AZ$65,840+40.6%
Bismarck, ND$63,910+36.5%
Lake Charles, LA$63,570+35.8%
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS$63,520+35.7%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Chattanooga, TN-GA

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$209,990$100.96/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$163,720$78.71/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$152,980$73.55/hr
Financial Manager$151,530$72.85/hr
Administrative Services Managers$130,540$62.76/hr
Human Resources Managers$129,900$62.45/hr
Marketing Managers$124,360$59.79/hr
Purchasing Managers$123,750$59.50/hr
Industrial Production Managers$121,670$58.50/hr
Physician Assistant$121,600$58.46/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 Chattanooga, TN-GA (2026) Overview

Quality Control Inspector median pay in Chattanooga, TN-GA is $46,820 a year ($22.51/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles, HUD rents. Official 2026 economic data for Quality Control Inspector in Chattanooga, TN-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 Chattanooga, TN-GA?

The median annual wage is $46,820 ($22.51 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $36,350 and $66,750. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Quality Control Inspector in Chattanooga, TN-GA after taxes?

On the median wage of $46,820, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $39,800 a year ($3,317 a month) after $7,020 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 14.99%, using 2026 tax rules.