33 Series · SOC 33-9093
Transportation Security Screeners Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $66,770
- Median / year
- $78,350
- Top 10% earn
- -6%
- Growth '23–'33
- 50,290
- US workers
Transportation Security Screeners earn a median of $66,770 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $66,770, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $44,700 (10th percentile) to $78,350 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 50,290 US workers. New Hampshire pays the most ($76,130), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Transportation Security Screeners earn a median of $66,770, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 58% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Protective Service, it ranks #10 of 24 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 6% by 2033.
- $66,770
- Median annual wage
- Top 42%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #10 of 24
- in Protective Service
- 1.8×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: New Hampshire at $76,130. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Transportation Security Screeners (SOC 33-9093) pays a national median of $66,770 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $44,700 at the 10th percentile to $78,350 at the 90th, with a mean of $64,310 indicating a compressed distribution clustered near the median. An estimated 50,290 Americans work in this occupation across 48 reporting states and 155 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 4,700 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 short-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 B for this role, with a fatality rate of 7.3 per 100,000 and injury rate of 2.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. New Hampshire pays the highest state median at $76,130, which is +14% above the national figure. The top metro is Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ at $79,210 - 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
$66,770
per year
Median Hourly
$32.10/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$64,310
average
Employment
50,290
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Transportation Security Screeners pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$66,770 Top 42% higher than 58% 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 33-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Transportation Security Screeners; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 24 33-series occupations with growth data, Transportation Security Screeners sits on the slower-growing side at -6% growth and $66,770 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-6%
Declining
Annual Openings
4,700
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
7.3/100K
Injury Rate
2.5/100
Danger Index
13.7/100
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 Security Screeners roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key 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.
- ▸ View images of checked bags and cargo, using remote screening equipment, and alert baggage screeners or handlers to any possible problems.
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Locate suspicious bags pictured in printouts sent from remote monitoring areas, and set these bags aside for inspection.
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
$44,700
25th Percentile
$57,050
Median
$66,770
75th Percentile
$72,820
90th Percentile
$78,350
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 48 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $76,130 | +14% above national |
| 2 | New Jersey | $74,400 | +11% above national |
| 3 | California | $73,610 | +10% above national |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $73,510 | +10% above national |
| 5 | Maryland | $72,240 | +8% above national |
| 6 | New York | $72,010 | +8% above national |
| 7 | Colorado | $71,530 | +7% above national |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $71,510 | +7% above national |
| 9 | Alaska | $71,390 | +7% above national |
| 10 | Illinois | $70,570 | +6% above national |
| 11 | Hawaii | $70,160 | +5% above national |
| 12 | Virginia | $69,910 | +5% above national |
| 13 | Texas | $68,640 | +3% above national |
| 14 | Michigan | $67,390 | +1% above national |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $67,330 | +1% above national |
| 16 | Minnesota | $67,290 | +1% above national |
| 17 | Georgia | $66,770 | same as national |
| 18 | Ohio | $65,870 | 1% below national |
| 19 | Vermont | $65,460 | 2% below national |
| 20 | Virgin Islands | $65,170 | 2% below national |
| 21 | North Carolina | $64,540 | 3% below national |
| 22 | Nevada | $64,500 | 3% below national |
| 23 | Arizona | $64,330 | 4% below national |
| 24 | New Mexico | $63,810 | 4% below national |
| 25 | Alabama | $63,770 | 4% below national |
| 26 | Florida | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 27 | Idaho | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 28 | Kansas | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 29 | Kentucky | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 30 | Louisiana | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 31 | Maine | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 32 | Mississippi | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 33 | South Carolina | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 34 | West Virginia | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 36 | Guam | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 37 | Puerto Rico | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 38 | Nebraska | $61,710 | 8% below national |
| 39 | Indiana | $61,670 | 8% below national |
| 40 | Iowa | $61,590 | 8% below national |
| 41 | Arkansas | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 42 | Tennessee | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 43 | Utah | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 44 | Wyoming | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 45 | South Dakota | $55,530 | 17% below national |
| 46 | North Dakota | $54,950 | 18% below national |
| 47 | Montana | $54,770 | 18% below national |
| 48 | Missouri | $51,210 | 23% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 155 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $79,210 | +19% above national |
| 2 | Salinas, CA | $78,940 | +18% above national |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $78,940 | +18% above national |
| 4 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $78,940 | +18% above national |
| 5 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $76,130 | +14% above national |
| 6 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $76,130 | +14% above national |
| 7 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $76,000 | +14% above national |
| 8 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $74,400 | +11% above national |
| 9 | Flint, MI | $74,130 | +11% above national |
| 10 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $73,610 | +10% above national |
| 11 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $73,610 | +10% above national |
| 12 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $73,210 | +10% above national |
| 13 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $72,510 | +9% above national |
| 14 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $72,340 | +8% above national |
| 15 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $72,240 | +8% above national |
| 16 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $72,130 | +8% above national |
| 17 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $71,530 | +7% above national |
| 18 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $71,510 | +7% above national |
| 19 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $71,510 | +7% above national |
| 20 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $71,240 | +7% above national |
| 21 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $71,240 | +7% above national |
| 22 | Bellingham, WA | $70,970 | +6% above national |
| 23 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $70,570 | +6% above national |
| 24 | Akron, OH | $70,180 | +5% above national |
| 25 | Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $70,160 | +5% above national |
| 26 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $69,990 | +5% above national |
| 27 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $69,910 | +5% above national |
| 28 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $69,720 | +4% above national |
| 29 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $69,640 | +4% above national |
| 30 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $68,830 | +3% above national |
| 31 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $68,640 | +3% above national |
| 32 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $67,330 | +1% above national |
| 33 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $67,200 | +1% above national |
| 34 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $66,770 | same as national |
| 35 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $66,190 | 1% below national |
| 36 | Richmond, VA | $65,960 | 1% below national |
| 37 | Cleveland, OH | $65,940 | 1% below national |
| 38 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $65,940 | 1% below national |
| 39 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $65,920 | 1% below national |
| 40 | Huntsville, AL | $65,750 | 2% below national |
| 41 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $65,460 | 2% below national |
| 42 | Pittsburgh, PA | $65,270 | 2% below national |
| 43 | Aguadilla, PR | $65,170 | 2% below national |
| 44 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $65,170 | 2% below national |
| 45 | Baton Rouge, LA | $65,170 | 2% below national |
| 46 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $65,170 | 2% below national |
| 47 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $65,170 | 2% below national |
| 48 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $65,170 | 2% below national |
| 49 | Peoria, IL | $65,170 | 2% below national |
| 50 | Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $65,170 | 2% below national |
| 51 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $65,080 | 3% below national |
| 52 | Colorado Springs, CO | $64,810 | 3% below national |
| 53 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $64,540 | 3% below national |
| 54 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $64,500 | 3% below national |
| 55 | Tucson, AZ | $64,330 | 4% below national |
| 56 | Columbia, SC | $64,150 | 4% below national |
| 57 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $64,150 | 4% below national |
| 58 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $64,060 | 4% below national |
| 59 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $63,920 | 4% below national |
| 60 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $63,900 | 4% below national |
| 61 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $63,900 | 4% below national |
| 62 | Albuquerque, NM | $63,810 | 4% below national |
| 63 | Birmingham, AL | $63,770 | 4% below national |
| 64 | Columbus, OH | $63,750 | 5% below national |
| 65 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $63,650 | 5% below national |
| 66 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $63,610 | 5% below national |
| 67 | Corpus Christi, TX | $63,540 | 5% below national |
| 68 | Fresno, CA | $63,460 | 5% below national |
| 69 | Amarillo, TX | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 70 | Appleton, WI | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 71 | Bangor, ME | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 72 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 73 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 74 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 75 | El Paso, TX | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 76 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 77 | Fort Wayne, IN | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 78 | Gainesville, FL | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 79 | Grand Junction, CO | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 80 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 81 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 82 | Idaho Falls, ID | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 83 | Jackson, MS | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 84 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 85 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 86 | Knoxville, TN | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 87 | Lafayette, LA | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 88 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 89 | Lubbock, TX | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 90 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 91 | Minot, ND | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 92 | Mobile, AL | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 93 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 94 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 95 | Ponce, PR | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 96 | Roanoke, VA | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 97 | St. George, UT | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 98 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 99 | Savannah, GA | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 100 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 101 | Springfield, MO | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 102 | Tallahassee, FL | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 103 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 104 | Tulsa, OK | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 105 | Wichita, KS | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 106 | Wilmington, NC | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 107 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 108 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 109 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $63,130 | 5% below national |
| 110 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $63,040 | 6% below national |
| 111 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $62,910 | 6% below national |
| 112 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $62,820 | 6% below national |
| 113 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $62,650 | 6% below national |
| 114 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $62,340 | 7% below national |
| 115 | Jacksonville, FL | $62,160 | 7% below national |
| 116 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $62,120 | 7% below national |
| 117 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $62,000 | 7% below national |
| 118 | Omaha, NE-IA | $61,710 | 8% below national |
| 119 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $61,670 | 8% below national |
| 120 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $61,590 | 8% below national |
| 121 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $61,530 | 8% below national |
| 122 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $61,420 | 8% below national |
| 123 | Reno, NV | $61,340 | 8% below national |
| 124 | Bend, OR | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 125 | Billings, MT | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 126 | Bismarck, ND | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 127 | Bloomington, IL | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 128 | Boise City, ID | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 129 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 130 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 131 | Charlottesville, VA | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 132 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 133 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 134 | Green Bay, WI | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 135 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 136 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 137 | Medford, OR | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 138 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 139 | Midland, TX | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 140 | Missoula, MT | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 141 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 142 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 143 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 144 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 145 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 146 | Syracuse, NY | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 147 | Traverse City, MI | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 148 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $61,110 | 8% below national |
| 149 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $60,530 | 9% below national |
| 150 | Bozeman, MT | $57,450 | 14% below national |
| 151 | Asheville, NC | $55,530 | 17% below national |
| 152 | Rapid City, SD | $55,530 | 17% below national |
| 153 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $51,390 | 23% below national |
| 154 | Fargo, ND-MN | $49,940 | 25% below national |
| 155 | Madison, WI | $49,940 | 25% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 33 (protective service) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Transportation Security Screeners make? ▼
What state pays Transportation Security Screeners the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Transportation Security Screeners? ▼
How dangerous is being a Transportation Security Screeners? ▼
Is Transportation Security Screeners a good career? ▼
How does Transportation Security Screeners pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Transportation Security Screeners? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Transportation Security Screeners pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $72,820/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: New Hampshire leads at $76,130/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.