The median pay for Transportation Security Screeners is $66,770 a year ($32.10/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to fall 4.2% through 2035, with about 4,500 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 33-9093
- Protective Service
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Transportation Security Screener in four numbers
- Median pay
- $66,770a year, or $32.10/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $45KTop 10% $78K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -4.2%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−4.2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −4.2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 4,50053,500 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202553.5K
- Projected 203551.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 53.5K Projected 2035 51.2K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school3.7%
- High school85.2%
- Some college11.1%
Highest education held by transportation security screeners Segment Value Less than high school 3.7% High school 85.2% Some college 11.1%
Also advertised as: Security Screener, Transportation Security Officer (TSO).
Pay
How much do Transportation Security Screeners make?
Every transportation security screener in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$66,770
Middle half earn $57,050 to $72,820
- 10th
- $44,700
- 25th
- $57,050
- 75th
- $72,820
- 90th
- $78,350
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $44,700 |
| 25th | $57,050 |
| Median | $66,770 |
| 75th | $72,820 |
| 90th | $78,350 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $66,770
- Median hourly wage
- $32.10/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $64,310
- People employed
- 50,290
Versus all US occupations
At $66,770, Transportation Security Screeners earn 31% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $15,790 a year.
Versus protective service occupations
Inside the Protective Service group, where the middle occupation pays $74,060, this is 10% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $78,350 or more while the bottom 10% earn $44,700, a gap of 1.8×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 41% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New Hampshire pays the most at $76,130, and still leads at $73,086 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Transportation Security Screeners 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New Hampshire | $76,130 | $73,086 | 80 |
| 2New Jersey | $74,400 | $68,379 | 1,200 |
| 3California | $73,610 | $66,483 | 5,410 |
| 4Massachusetts | $73,510 | $69,508 | 1,380 |
| 5Maryland | $72,240 | $68,827 | 570 |
| 6New York | $72,010 | $66,725 | 4,240 |
| 7Colorado | $71,530 | $69,412 | 1,250 |
| 8Rhode Island | $71,510 | $69,916 | 160 |
| 9Alaska | $71,390 | $69,745 | 440 |
| 10Illinois | $70,570 | $70,600 | 1,970 |
Job outlook
Is Transportation Security Screener a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -4.2% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Transportation Security Screeners | −4.2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Transportation Security Screeners to change -4.2% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 2,200 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 4,500 openings are projected each year, 8.4% of the 53,500 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Transportation Security Screener
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as transportation security screeners.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)85.2%
- Some College Courses11.1%
- Less than a High School Diploma3.7%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 85.2% |
| Some College Courses | 11.1% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 3.7% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Transportation Security Screener do?
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.
Day-to-day tasks
- Test baggage for any explosive materials, using equipment such as explosive detection machines or chemical swab systems.
- Notify supervisors or other appropriate personnel when security breaches occur.
- Contact leads or supervisors to discuss objects of concern that are not on prohibited object lists.
- Search carry-on or checked baggage by hand when it is suspected to contain prohibited items such as weapons.
- Challenge suspicious people, requesting their badges and asking what their business is in a particular areas.
- Provide directions and respond to passenger inquiries.
- 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.
- Inspect checked baggage for signs of tampering.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
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
- Speaking3.4
- Monitoring3.4
- Active Listening3.3
- Critical Thinking3.3
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Writing2.9
- Active Learning2.9
- Learning Strategies2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Speaking | 3.4 |
| Monitoring | 3.4 |
| Active Listening | 3.3 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.3 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 |
| Writing | 2.9 |
| Active Learning | 2.9 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness3.3
- Coordination3.3
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Persuasion3.0
- Service Orientation3.0
- Instructing2.9
- Complex Problem Solving2.8
- Operations Monitoring2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.3 |
| Coordination | 3.3 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
| Persuasion | 3.0 |
| Service Orientation | 3.0 |
| Instructing | 2.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.8 |
| Operations Monitoring | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Computer based training software
- Human resources software
- 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 Security Screener?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Transportation Security Screener |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| 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.
- Conventional5.5
- Realistic5.2
- Enterprising2.6
- Social2.5
- Investigative2.0
- 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 Security Screener
O*NET related occupations
- Protective Service
- Protective Service
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Personal Care and Service
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Protective Service
More protective service careers
Median annual pay, with transportation security screeners highlighted
- Detective and Criminal Investigator$93,790
- Intelligence Analyst$93,790
- Police Officer$76,210
- Custom and Border Protection Officer$76,210
- Transportation Security Screener$66,770
- Firefighter$59,280
- Correctional Officer and Jailer$58,940
- Private Detective and Investigator$51,220
- Security Guard$38,020
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Detective and Criminal Investigator | $93,790 |
| Intelligence Analyst | $93,790 |
| Police Officer | $76,210 |
| Custom and Border Protection Officer | $76,210 |
| Transportation Security Screener | $66,770 |
| Firefighter | $59,280 |
| Correctional Officer and Jailer | $58,940 |
| Private Detective and Investigator | $51,220 |
| Security Guard | $38,020 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Transportation Security Screener appears on
Questions
Transportation Security Screener: frequently asked questions
How much do Transportation Security Screeners make?
Transportation Security Screeners earn a median of $66,770 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 31% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $32.10/hr. The middle half earn between $57,050 and $72,820. The top 10% earn $78,350 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Transportation Security Screener?
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 Security Screeners. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 85.2% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Transportation Security Screener a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 4.2% over 2025–2035, a loss of 2,200 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 4,500 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Transportation Security Screener do?
Conduct screening of passengers, baggage, or cargo to ensure compliance with Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulations. A core O*NET task: test baggage for any explosive materials, using equipment such as explosive detection machines or chemical swab systems. Employers most often ask for Cloud-based data access and sharing software, Electronic mail software, Object or component oriented development software.
Which states pay Transportation Security Screeners the most?
The highest state medians for Transportation Security Screeners are New Hampshire ($76,130), New Jersey ($74,400), California ($73,610) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Transportation Security Screener?
O*NET scores Transportation Security Screeners 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.