SOC 51-9061

Quality Control Inspector Salary in Portland-South Portland, ME

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 + ME
COL Index: 130.53 (+30.5% vs US)
Net Compensation Yield 75.1% Realized
$45,684 / net annual direct deposit
Gross Adjusted $60,860 $29.26/hr
Effective Tax Drag 18.94% Combined Jurisdictions
Marginal Top Bracket 12% Federal Statutory
Total Withheld -$11,525 $443.25/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 $29.26 / hour
0 hrs/wk (+$0/yr)
0 hrs (Standard) 10 hrs OT 20 hrs OT 25 hrs Max
6% (-$3,652/yr)
0% Tax Shield: ~$438/yr 15% (IRS limit: $24,500)
Itemized Statutory Withholdings Ledger
Federal Income Tax (IRS)
Progressive 10%–37%
-$4,685
Social Security (FICA OASDI)
Statutory 6.20% (Cap $184,500)
-$3,773
Medicare Hospital Insurance
Statutory 1.45%
-$882
Maine Individual Income Tax
State Marginal Bracket
-$2,184
Net Take-Home Annual Realized
$45,684 ($1,757.07 / check)
Category 2 of 6

Portland-South Portland, ME Quality Control Inspector Wage Distribution

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

Your Salary: $60,860
MIDDLE 50% (IQR RANGE) 10th $34.8k 25th $49.0k Median: $60,860 50th (Median) $60.9k 75th $72.9k 90th $79.7k You: $60,860
10th (Entry) $34,750 $16.71/hr
25th (Junior) $49,050 $23.58/hr
50th (Median) $60,860 $29.26/hr
75th (Senior) $72,910 $35.05/hr
90th (Lead/Master) $79,730 $38.33/hr
Career Progression & Licensing Milestones for Quality Control Inspector in Portland-South Portland, ME
1
QC Inspector ApprenticeVisual inspection, measurement calipers, rejection log documentation
$40,097$19.28/hr · 0-2 Years
2
Certified Quality InspectorCMM operation, blueprint GD&T interpretation, non-conformance reports
$57,640$27.71/hr · 2-5 Years
3
Senior Quality Assurance TechSix Sigma green belt, statistical process control (SPC), ISO 9001 audits
$77,688$37.35/hr · 5-8 Years
4
Quality Assurance ManagerPlant quality management system, vendor audits, compliance signoff
$102,749$49.40/hr · 8+ Years
Scaled to the Portland-South Portland, ME 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 Portland-South Portland, ME under the HUD 30% housing cost guideline.

Rent-to-Take-Home Ratio (HUD 30% Standard)
49% of Net Income
⚠️ Cost-Burdened (Exceeds 30% Rule)
HUD Fair Market Rent (1-Bedroom) $1,864/month Requires minimum annual gross of $74,560
HUD Fair Market Rent (2-Bedroom) $2,353/month Requires minimum annual gross of $94,120
Hourly Living Wage Benchmark (EPI model)
1 Adult Earner: $28.87/hr
Per adult, 2 working adults + 1 child: $27.95/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 Portland-South Portland, ME.

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$60,860-$11,525$45,684$1,757.07
+5h Overtime/Wk45 hrs$72,271-$14,552$53,383$2,053.18
+10h Overtime/Wk50 hrs$83,683-$18,509$60,152$2,313.56
+15h Overtime/Wk55 hrs$95,094-$22,480$66,908$2,573.39
+20h Overtime/Wk60 hrs$106,505-$26,480$73,635$2,832.11
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 Portland-South Portland, ME: Compensation & Purchasing Power Briefing (2026)

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

Market Baseline
$60,860/yr
$29.26/hr · SOC 51-9061
Statutory Tax Drag
18.94% Effective
-$11,525 in Total Taxes
HUD 1BR Shelter Ratio
49% Net Pay
⚠️ Exceeds 30% HUD Rule
Monthly Discretionary
+$1,943/mo
Post-$1,864/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 Portland-South Portland, ME: Market Snapshot

Quality Control Inspector roles in Portland-South Portland, ME report a median annual wage of $60,860, 25.3% above the national median of $48,570. The 10th to 90th percentile band runs from $34,750 to $79,730, and HUD’s $1,864 monthly one-bedroom fair market rent equals 36.8% of that median gross pay. The single-adult living wage benchmark for the area is $28.87 per hour.

Highest-paying metropolitan areas for Quality Control Inspector

Metropolitan areaMedian annual wageVs this market
Lexington Park, MD$92,000+51.2%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$76,800+26.2%
Savannah, GA$72,800+19.6%
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$71,950+18.2%
Anchorage, AK$71,470+17.4%
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$68,060+11.8%
Flagstaff, AZ$65,840+8.2%
Bismarck, ND$63,910+5.0%
Lake Charles, LA$63,570+4.5%
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS$63,520+4.4%

Top-paying occupations benchmarked in Portland-South Portland, ME

OccupationMedian annual wageMedian hourly
Chief Executives$176,000$84.62/hr
Sales Managers$174,990$84.13/hr
Computer and Information Systems Managers$167,100$80.34/hr
Architectural and Engineering Managers$164,530$79.10/hr
Natural Sciences Managers$155,080$74.56/hr
Purchasing Managers$142,240$68.38/hr
Financial Manager$138,590$66.63/hr
Actuary$138,220$66.45/hr
Human Resources Managers$137,550$66.13/hr
Marketing Managers$135,380$65.09/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 Portland-South Portland, ME Overview

Quality Control Inspector median pay in Portland-South Portland, ME is $60,860 a year ($29.26/hr). See take-home pay after 2026 taxes, BLS wage percentiles. Official 2026 economic data for Quality Control Inspector in Portland-South Portland, ME 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 Portland-South Portland, ME?

The median annual wage is $60,860 ($29.26 per hour). The middle 80% of earners make between $34,750 and $79,730. Source: BLS OEWS (May 2025).

What is the take-home pay for a Quality Control Inspector in Portland-South Portland, ME after taxes?

On the median wage of $60,860, a single filer with no pre-tax deductions takes home about $48,651 a year ($4,054 a month) after $12,209 in federal, FICA, state and local taxes, an effective rate of 20.06%, using 2026 tax rules.