Transportation Inspectors earn a median of $92,100 per year ($44.28/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 2.2% through 2035, with about 2,300 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 53-6051
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Transportation Inspector in four numbers
- Median pay
- $92,100a year, or $44.28/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $40KTop 10% $139K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.2%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2.2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2.2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 2,30025,100 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202525.1K
- Projected 203525.6K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 25.1K Projected 2035 25.6K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Cargo Surveyor, Inspector, Marine Cargo Surveyor, Marine Surveyor, Petroleum Inspector.
Pay
How much do Transportation Inspectors make?
Every transportation inspector in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$92,100
Middle half earn $58,780 to $108,890
- 10th
- $40,330
- 25th
- $58,780
- 75th
- $108,890
- 90th
- $138,670
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $40,330 |
| 25th | $58,780 |
| Median | $92,100 |
| 75th | $108,890 |
| 90th | $138,670 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $92,100
- Median hourly wage
- $44.28/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $88,540
- People employed
- 24,500
Versus all US occupations
At $92,100, Transportation Inspectors earn 81% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $41,120 a year.
Versus transportation and material moving occupations
Inside the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $62,840, this is 47% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $138,670 or more while the bottom 10% earn $40,330, a gap of 3.4×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 67% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Alaska posts the highest raw median ($123,120), but once local prices are taken into account Iowa leads at $133,144 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Transportation Inspectors the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Alaska | $123,120 | $120,283 | 170 |
| 2Iowa | $116,850 | $133,144 | 60 |
| 3Oklahoma | $111,070 | $126,441 | 470 |
| 4Hawaii | $108,270 | $98,471 | 150 |
| 5Alabama | $108,140 | $121,748 | 670 |
| 6North Dakota | $106,330 | $119,527 | 60 |
| 7Washington | $104,250 | $97,418 | 490 |
| 8Kansas | $103,380 | $114,780 | 210 |
| 9Florida | $101,470 | $98,120 | 1,630 |
| 10Texas | $101,440 | $104,516 | 2,290 |
Job outlook
Is Transportation Inspector a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +2.2% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Transportation Inspectors | +2.2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Transportation Inspectors to change 2.2% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 600 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 2,300 openings are projected each year, 9.2% of the 25,100 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Transportation Inspector
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does a Transportation Inspector do?
Inspect equipment or goods in connection with the safe transport of cargo or people. Includes rail transportation inspectors, such as freight inspectors, rail inspectors, and other inspectors of transportation vehicles not elsewhere classified.
Day-to-day tasks
- Record details about freight conditions, handling of freight, and any problems encountered.
- Prepare and submit reports after completion of freight shipments.
- Inspect loaded cargo, cargo lashed to decks or in storage facilities, and cargo handling devices to determine compliance with health and safety regulations and need for maintenance.
- Notify workers of any special treatment required for shipments.
- Observe loading of freight to ensure that crews comply with procedures.
- Inspect shipments to ensure that freight is securely braced and blocked.
- Determine cargo transportation capabilities by reading documents that set forth cargo loading and securing procedures, capacities, and stability factors.
- Check temperatures and humidities of shipping and storage areas to ensure that they are at appropriate levels to protect cargo.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension3.6
- Writing3.6
- Speaking3.6
- Critical Thinking3.6
- Active Listening3.5
- Monitoring3.4
- Active Learning2.8
- Mathematics2.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3.6 |
| Writing | 3.6 |
| Speaking | 3.6 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.6 |
| Active Listening | 3.5 |
| Monitoring | 3.4 |
| Active Learning | 2.8 |
| Mathematics | 2.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Time Management3.4
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Coordination3.1
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Systems Evaluation3.0
- Systems Analysis2.9
- Instructing2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Time Management | 3.4 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.1 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.0 |
| Systems Analysis | 2.9 |
| Instructing | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Internet browser software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Transportation Inspector?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Transportation Inspector |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
- Conventional6.2
- Realistic5.7
- Investigative2.9
- Enterprising2.6
- Social1.6
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Transportation Inspector
O*NET related occupations
- Transportation and Material Moving
Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspector, Except Aviation
$92,100median a year
Most earn $40K to $139K
+2.2%High school - Transportation and Material Moving
- Construction and Extraction
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Office and Administrative Support
- First-Line Supervisor of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators · $62,840 median
More transportation and material moving careers
Median annual pay, with transportation inspectors highlighted
- Airline Pilot$232,140
- Commercial Pilot$123,220
- Transportation Inspector$92,100
- Locomotive Engineer$81,410
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster$78,000
- Crane and Tower Operator$68,080
- Flight Attendant$63,580
- Truck Driver$58,640
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector$49,690
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Airline Pilot | $232,140 |
| Commercial Pilot | $123,220 |
| Transportation Inspector | $92,100 |
| Locomotive Engineer | $81,410 |
| Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster | $78,000 |
| Crane and Tower Operator | $68,080 |
| Flight Attendant | $63,580 |
| Truck Driver | $58,640 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $49,690 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Transportation Inspector appears on
Questions
Transportation Inspector: frequently asked questions
How much do Transportation Inspectors make?
Transportation Inspectors earn a median of $92,100 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 81% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $44.28/hr. The middle half earn between $58,780 and $108,890. The top 10% earn $138,670 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Transportation Inspector?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Transportation Inspectors. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Transportation Inspector a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 2.2% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 2,300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Transportation Inspector do?
Inspect equipment or goods in connection with the safe transport of cargo or people. A core O*NET task: record details about freight conditions, handling of freight, and any problems encountered. Employers most often ask for Document management software, Electronic mail software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Transportation Inspectors the most?
The highest state medians for Transportation Inspectors are Alaska ($123,120), Iowa ($116,850), Oklahoma ($111,070) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Iowa moves to the top at $133,144.
What personality type suits a Transportation Inspector?
O*NET scores Transportation Inspectors highest on the Conventional and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.