Transportation security screeners salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $44,700 | $21.49 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $66,770 | $32.10 |
| Mean (average) | $64,310 | $30.92 |
| 90th percentile | $78,350 | $37.67 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Transportation security screeners pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 48 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $63,770 | $49,940 | $72,110 | 260 | 0.38 |
| Alaska | $71,390 | $54,180 | $87,510 | 440 | 4.19 |
| Arizona | $64,330 | $41,080 | $72,450 | 1,380 | 1.32 |
| Arkansas | $61,110 | $45,640 | $69,240 | 190 | 0.44 |
| California | $73,610 | $46,070 | $81,470 | 5,410 | 0.92 |
| Colorado | $71,530 | $58,530 | $78,690 | 1,250 | 1.35 |
| Florida | $63,130 | $42,910 | $71,570 | 6,920 | 2.16 |
| Georgia | $66,770 | $42,640 | $71,070 | 1,850 | 1.17 |
| Guam | $63,130 | $35,340 | $75,110 | 280 | 12.86 |
| Hawaii | $70,160 | $57,180 | $77,190 | 1,010 | 4.96 |
| Idaho | $63,130 | $45,640 | $67,200 | 250 | 0.89 |
| Illinois | $70,570 | $45,070 | $75,190 | 1,970 | 1 |
| Indiana | $61,670 | $40,710 | $67,830 | 460 | 0.44 |
| Iowa | $61,590 | $45,640 | $69,240 | 220 | 0.43 |
| Kansas | $63,130 | $49,940 | $69,240 | 120 | 0.27 |
| Kentucky | $63,130 | $47,530 | $70,010 | 510 | 0.79 |
| Louisiana | $63,130 | $45,640 | $71,280 | 460 | 0.74 |
| Maine | $63,130 | $49,690 | $76,130 | 160 | 0.76 |
| Maryland | $72,240 | $57,160 | $79,230 | 570 | 0.64 |
| Massachusetts | $73,510 | $62,030 | $83,740 | 1,380 | 1.18 |
| Michigan | $67,390 | $44,470 | $74,130 | 1,070 | 0.75 |
| Minnesota | $67,290 | $52,250 | $77,670 | 740 | 0.77 |
| Mississippi | $63,130 | $49,940 | $69,240 | 170 | 0.45 |
| Missouri | $51,210 | $40,850 | $68,910 | 930 | 0.98 |
| Montana | $54,770 | $40,090 | $69,450 | 330 | 1.99 |
| Nebraska | $61,710 | $46,090 | $67,890 | 290 | 0.87 |
| Nevada | $64,500 | $41,180 | $68,660 | 1,350 | 2.69 |
| New Hampshire | $76,130 | $69,200 | $87,650 | 80 | 0.38 |
| New Jersey | $74,400 | $58,860 | $81,600 | 1,200 | 0.87 |
| New Mexico | $63,810 | $42,560 | $67,930 | 200 | 0.72 |
| New York | $72,010 | $42,630 | $79,210 | 4,240 | 1.35 |
| North Carolina | $64,540 | $44,840 | $70,780 | 1,300 | 0.81 |
| North Dakota | $54,950 | $47,920 | $69,240 | 170 | 1.23 |
| Ohio | $65,870 | $47,650 | $72,300 | 690 | 0.38 |
| Pennsylvania | $67,330 | $47,200 | $74,800 | 1,460 | 0.74 |
| Puerto Rico | $63,130 | $24,660 | $67,200 | 610 | 1.99 |
| Rhode Island | $71,510 | $45,680 | $78,440 | 160 | 0.96 |
| South Carolina | $63,130 | $42,100 | $69,240 | 480 | 0.65 |
| South Dakota | $55,530 | $45,640 | $69,240 | 60 | 0.41 |
| Tennessee | $61,110 | $47,920 | $69,240 | 840 | 0.79 |
| Texas | $68,640 | $46,510 | $77,520 | 4,300 | 0.95 |
| Utah | $61,110 | $50,210 | $71,280 | 510 | 0.9 |
| Vermont | $65,460 | $53,560 | $72,010 | 80 | 0.76 |
| Virgin Islands | $65,170 | $61,110 | $71,280 | 90 | 8.38 |
| Virginia | $69,910 | $46,130 | $76,900 | 1,870 | 1.4 |
| West Virginia | $63,130 | $54,950 | $71,280 | 90 | 0.41 |
| Wisconsin | $63,130 | $30,100 | $70,280 | 540 | 0.56 |
| Wyoming | $61,110 | $45,640 | $73,880 | 90 | 1.02 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for transportation security screeners
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 4,500. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for transportation security screeners
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Inspect carry-on items, using x-ray viewing equipment, to determine whether items contain objects that warrant further investigation.
- Search carry-on or checked baggage by hand when it is suspected to contain prohibited items such as weapons.
- Check passengers' tickets to ensure that they are valid, and to determine whether passengers have designations that require special handling, such as providing photo identification.
- Test baggage for any explosive materials, using equipment such as explosive detection machines or chemical swab systems.
- Perform pat-down or hand-held wand searches of passengers who have triggered machine alarms, who are unable to pass through metal detectors, or who have been randomly identified for such searches.
- Notify supervisors or other appropriate personnel when security breaches occur.
- Send checked baggage through automated screening machines, and set bags aside for searching or rescreening as indicated by equipment.
- Decide whether baggage that triggers alarms should be searched or should be allowed to pass through.
Technology skills
- Linux (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Oracle Java (hot technology)
- Slack (hot technology)
- Applicant tracking software
- Email software
- Oracle Taleo
- Rapiscan Threat Image Projection
- Web browser software
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Persuasion, Service Orientation, Instructing.
Common job titles: Security Screener, Transportation Security Officer (TSO).
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do transportation security screeners make?
The national median annual wage for transportation security screeners was $66,770 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $44,700 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $78,350. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do transportation security screeners need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is transportation security screeners a growing career?
BLS projects employment of transportation security screeners to change -4.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 4,500 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay transportation security screeners the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were New Hampshire ($76,130), New Jersey ($74,400), California ($73,610). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.