SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Conduct screening of passengers, baggage, or cargo to ensure compliance with Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulations. May operate basic security equipment such as x-ray machines and hand wands at screening checkpoints.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 33-9093.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $44,700 | $3,725 | $860 | $21.49 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $57,050 | $4,754 | $1,097 | $27.43 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $66,770 | $5,564 | $1,284 | $32.10 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $72,820 | $6,068 | $1,400 | $35.01 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $78,350 | $6,529 | $1,507 | $37.67 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Transportation Security Screeners is $66,770, which is 31% higher. Among the 24 occupations of the field Protective Service, it ranks number 10 by median pay. With 50,290 jobs, it makes up about 3.2 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Transportation Security Screeners pay by state
The highest median pay was in New Hampshire ($76,130), New Jersey ($74,400) and California ($73,610). The lowest was in Missouri ($51,210), Montana ($54,770) and North Dakota ($54,950). The most jobs were in Florida (6,920), California (5,410) and Texas (4,300). The occupation is most concentrated in Guam, where its share of all jobs is 12.9 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | 80 | $76,130 | $75,580 | $36.60 |
| New Jersey | 1,200 | $74,400 | $73,490 | $35.77 |
| California | 5,410 | $73,610 | $68,660 | $35.39 |
| Massachusetts | 1,380 | $73,510 | $70,950 | $35.34 |
| Maryland | 570 | $72,240 | $72,230 | $34.73 |
| New York | 4,240 | $72,010 | $64,540 | $34.62 |
| Colorado | 1,250 | $71,530 | $67,870 | $34.39 |
| Rhode Island | 160 | $71,510 | $68,450 | $34.38 |
| Alaska | 440 | $71,390 | $71,150 | $34.32 |
| Illinois | 1,970 | $70,570 | $67,300 | $33.93 |
| Hawaii | 1,010 | $70,160 | $67,720 | $33.73 |
| Virginia | 1,870 | $69,910 | $65,010 | $33.61 |
| Texas | 4,300 | $68,640 | $66,740 | $33.00 |
| Michigan | 1,070 | $67,390 | $63,970 | $32.40 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,460 | $67,330 | $63,390 | $32.37 |
| Minnesota | 740 | $67,290 | $65,660 | $32.35 |
| Georgia | 1,850 | $66,770 | $61,870 | $32.10 |
| Ohio | 690 | $65,870 | $63,510 | $31.67 |
| Vermont | 80 | $65,460 | $62,120 | $31.47 |
| Virgin Islands | 90 | $65,170 | $64,930 | $31.33 |
| North Carolina | 1,300 | $64,540 | $61,940 | $31.03 |
| Nevada | 1,350 | $64,500 | $62,150 | $31.01 |
| Arizona | 1,380 | $64,330 | $61,660 | $30.93 |
| New Mexico | 200 | $63,810 | $59,530 | $30.68 |
| Alabama | 260 | $63,770 | $63,390 | $30.66 |
| Florida | 6,920 | $63,130 | $59,740 | $30.35 |
| Idaho | 250 | $63,130 | $58,400 | $30.35 |
| Kansas | 120 | $63,130 | $61,380 | $30.35 |
| Kentucky | 510 | $63,130 | $60,390 | $30.35 |
| Louisiana | 460 | $63,130 | $61,380 | $30.35 |
| Maine | 160 | $63,130 | $64,630 | $30.35 |
| Mississippi | 170 | $63,130 | $62,080 | $30.35 |
| South Carolina | 480 | $63,130 | $60,590 | $30.35 |
| West Virginia | 90 | $63,130 | $62,860 | $30.35 |
| Wisconsin | 540 | $63,130 | $57,040 | $30.35 |
| Guam | 280 | $63,130 | $60,130 | $30.35 |
| Puerto Rico | 610 | $63,130 | $56,040 | $30.35 |
| Nebraska | 290 | $61,710 | $57,890 | $29.67 |
| Indiana | 460 | $61,670 | $57,980 | $29.65 |
| Iowa | 220 | $61,590 | $58,310 | $29.61 |
| Arkansas | 190 | $61,110 | $60,170 | $29.38 |
| Tennessee | 840 | $61,110 | $59,860 | $29.38 |
| Utah | 510 | $61,110 | $60,420 | $29.38 |
| Wyoming | 90 | $61,110 | $61,140 | $29.38 |
| South Dakota | 60 | $55,530 | $56,310 | $26.70 |
| North Dakota | 170 | $54,950 | $58,250 | $26.42 |
| Montana | 330 | $54,770 | $55,250 | $26.33 |
| Missouri | 930 | $51,210 | $54,430 | $24.62 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers$76,210 a year
- Fire Inspectors and Investigators$75,920 a year
- Fish and Game Wardens$74,060 a year
- Firefighters$59,280 a year
- Correctional Officers and Jailers$58,940 a year
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists$56,870 a year
Common questions
How much do Transportation Security Screeners earn in the United States?
The median pay was $66,770 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $44,700 and the highest-paid 10% more than $78,350.
How many people work as Transportation Security Screeners?
About 50,290 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.