53 Series · SOC 53-6051
Transportation Inspectors Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $92,100
- Median / year
- $138,670
- Top 10% earn
- +1.7%
- Growth '23–'33
- 24,500
- US workers
Transportation Inspectors earn a median of $92,100 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $92,100, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $40,330 (10th percentile) to $138,670 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 24,500 US workers. Alaska pays the most ($123,120), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Transportation Inspectors earn a median of $92,100, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 79% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks #6 of 50 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 1.7% by 2033.
- $92,100
- Median annual wage
- Top 21%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #6 of 50
- in Transportation and Material Moving
- 3.4×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Alaska at $123,120. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Transportation Inspectors (SOC 53-6051) pays a national median of $92,100 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $40,330 at the 10th percentile to $138,670 at the 90th, with a mean of $88,540 indicating a compressed distribution clustered near the median. An estimated 24,500 Americans work in this occupation across 46 reporting states and 83 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +1.7% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 2,500 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of C for this role, with a fatality rate of 17.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 4.8 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Alaska pays the highest state median at $123,120, which is +34% above the national figure. The top metro is Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI at $140,880 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$92,100
per year
Median Hourly
$44.28/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$88,540
average
Employment
24,500
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Transportation Inspectors pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$92,100 Top 21% higher than 79% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 53-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Transportation Inspectors; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 53-series occupations with growth data, Transportation Inspectors sits on the slower-growing side at +1.7% growth and $92,100 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+1.7%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
2,500
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Moderate Risk
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
17.5/100K
Injury Rate
4.8/100
Danger Index
28/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Transportation Inspectors roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Inspect work of aircraft mechanics performing maintenance, modification, or repair and overhaul of aircraft and aircraft mechanical systems to ensure adherence to standards and procedures.
- ▸ Investigate air accidents and complaints to determine causes.
- ▸ Examine maintenance records and flight logs to determine if service and maintenance checks and overhauls were performed at prescribed intervals.
- ▸ Inspect new, repaired, or modified aircraft to identify damage or defects and to assess airworthiness and conformance to standards, using checklists, hand tools, and test instruments.
- ▸ Approve or deny issuance of certificates of airworthiness.
- ▸ Prepare and submit reports after completion of freight shipments.
- ▸ Inspect vehicles or other equipment for evidence of abuse, damage, or mechanical malfunction.
- ▸ Inspect shipments to ensure that freight is securely braced and blocked.
- ▸ Prepare and maintain detailed repair, inspection, investigation, and certification records and reports.
- ▸ Examine landing gear, tires, and exteriors of fuselage, wings, and engines for evidence of damage or corrosion and the need for repairs.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$40,330
25th Percentile
$58,780
Median
$92,100
75th Percentile
$108,890
90th Percentile
$138,670
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 46 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $123,120 | +34% above national |
| 2 | Iowa | $116,850 | +27% above national |
| 3 | Oklahoma | $111,070 | +21% above national |
| 4 | Hawaii | $108,270 | +18% above national |
| 5 | Alabama | $108,140 | +17% above national |
| 6 | North Dakota | $106,330 | +15% above national |
| 7 | Washington | $104,250 | +13% above national |
| 8 | Kansas | $103,380 | +12% above national |
| 9 | Florida | $101,470 | +10% above national |
| 10 | Texas | $101,440 | +10% above national |
| 11 | Maryland | $100,700 | +9% above national |
| 12 | Georgia | $95,030 | +3% above national |
| 13 | New York | $93,420 | +1% above national |
| 14 | Minnesota | $92,860 | +1% above national |
| 15 | Connecticut | $91,520 | 1% below national |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $89,960 | 2% below national |
| 17 | Arkansas | $85,130 | 8% below national |
| 18 | North Carolina | $84,470 | 8% below national |
| 19 | Kentucky | $83,970 | 9% below national |
| 20 | California | $83,000 | 10% below national |
| 21 | Colorado | $81,820 | 11% below national |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $81,550 | 11% below national |
| 23 | South Carolina | $80,490 | 13% below national |
| 24 | Indiana | $80,330 | 13% below national |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $79,650 | 14% below national |
| 26 | Tennessee | $78,430 | 15% below national |
| 27 | Oregon | $78,110 | 15% below national |
| 28 | Louisiana | $77,460 | 16% below national |
| 29 | Ohio | $77,010 | 16% below national |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $75,260 | 18% below national |
| 31 | South Dakota | $70,080 | 24% below national |
| 32 | Virginia | $68,610 | 26% below national |
| 33 | Missouri | $64,690 | 30% below national |
| 34 | Utah | $64,480 | 30% below national |
| 35 | Maine | $63,750 | 31% below national |
| 36 | New Mexico | $63,690 | 31% below national |
| 37 | Montana | $62,810 | 32% below national |
| 38 | Arizona | $62,250 | 32% below national |
| 39 | West Virginia | $58,670 | 36% below national |
| 40 | Idaho | $54,330 | 41% below national |
| 41 | Guam | $52,540 | 43% below national |
| 42 | Nevada | $50,060 | 46% below national |
| 43 | New Jersey | $49,250 | 47% below national |
| 44 | Illinois | $47,990 | 48% below national |
| 45 | Michigan | $35,890 | 61% below national |
| 46 | Puerto Rico | $29,760 | 68% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 83 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $140,880 | +53% above national |
| 2 | Anchorage, AK | $131,060 | +42% above national |
| 3 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $129,480 | +41% above national |
| 4 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $126,710 | +38% above national |
| 5 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $126,010 | +37% above national |
| 6 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $121,410 | +32% above national |
| 7 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $120,000 | +30% above national |
| 8 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $119,040 | +29% above national |
| 9 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $115,920 | +26% above national |
| 10 | Columbia, SC | $115,210 | +25% above national |
| 11 | Oklahoma City, OK | $109,990 | +19% above national |
| 12 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $108,270 | +18% above national |
| 13 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $107,840 | +17% above national |
| 14 | Longview, TX | $107,670 | +17% above national |
| 15 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $107,640 | +17% above national |
| 16 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $107,330 | +17% above national |
| 17 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $106,330 | +15% above national |
| 18 | Baton Rouge, LA | $105,370 | +14% above national |
| 19 | Boise City, ID | $105,370 | +14% above national |
| 20 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $105,370 | +14% above national |
| 21 | Wichita, KS | $104,370 | +13% above national |
| 22 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $104,080 | +13% above national |
| 23 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $103,490 | +12% above national |
| 24 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $103,360 | +12% above national |
| 25 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $101,040 | +10% above national |
| 26 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $100,420 | +9% above national |
| 27 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $100,100 | +9% above national |
| 28 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $99,240 | +8% above national |
| 29 | Birmingham, AL | $98,470 | +7% above national |
| 30 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $97,170 | +6% above national |
| 31 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $95,760 | +4% above national |
| 32 | Jackson, MS | $95,310 | +3% above national |
| 33 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $94,550 | +3% above national |
| 34 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $93,420 | +1% above national |
| 35 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $92,570 | +1% above national |
| 36 | Pittsburgh, PA | $91,620 | 1% below national |
| 37 | Albuquerque, NM | $90,200 | 2% below national |
| 38 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $89,330 | 3% below national |
| 39 | Rochester, NY | $89,230 | 3% below national |
| 40 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $89,230 | 3% below national |
| 41 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $87,840 | 5% below national |
| 42 | Columbus, OH | $87,550 | 5% below national |
| 43 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $85,960 | 7% below national |
| 44 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $85,650 | 7% below national |
| 45 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $85,360 | 7% below national |
| 46 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $85,200 | 7% below national |
| 47 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $83,000 | 10% below national |
| 48 | Fresno, CA | $82,870 | 10% below national |
| 49 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $82,390 | 11% below national |
| 50 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $82,320 | 11% below national |
| 51 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $81,550 | 11% below national |
| 52 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $81,370 | 12% below national |
| 53 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $81,370 | 12% below national |
| 54 | Salem, OR | $81,140 | 12% below national |
| 55 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $80,860 | 12% below national |
| 56 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $79,040 | 14% below national |
| 57 | Tucson, AZ | $78,480 | 15% below national |
| 58 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $77,990 | 15% below national |
| 59 | Jacksonville, FL | $76,160 | 17% below national |
| 60 | Vallejo, CA | $74,870 | 19% below national |
| 61 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $73,480 | 20% below national |
| 62 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $71,300 | 23% below national |
| 63 | Laredo, TX | $69,800 | 24% below national |
| 64 | Richmond, VA | $68,610 | 26% below national |
| 65 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $68,460 | 26% below national |
| 66 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $66,730 | 28% below national |
| 67 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $66,620 | 28% below national |
| 68 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $66,620 | 28% below national |
| 69 | Syracuse, NY | $66,620 | 28% below national |
| 70 | Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $66,540 | 28% below national |
| 71 | Cleveland, OH | $63,970 | 31% below national |
| 72 | Las Cruces, NM | $61,550 | 33% below national |
| 73 | Springfield, IL | $55,190 | 40% below national |
| 74 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $55,070 | 40% below national |
| 75 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $54,660 | 41% below national |
| 76 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $52,760 | 43% below national |
| 77 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $51,990 | 44% below national |
| 78 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $49,420 | 46% below national |
| 79 | Reno, NV | $48,070 | 48% below national |
| 80 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $46,800 | 49% below national |
| 81 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $39,120 | 58% below national |
| 82 | El Paso, TX | $38,480 | 58% below national |
| 83 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $33,350 | 64% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 53 (transportation and material moving) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Transportation Inspectors make? ▼
What state pays Transportation Inspectors the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Transportation Inspectors? ▼
How dangerous is being a Transportation Inspectors? ▼
Is Transportation Inspectors a good career? ▼
How does Transportation Inspectors pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Transportation Inspectors? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Transportation Inspectors pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $108,890/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Alaska leads at $123,120/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.