How to hire a transportation security officer

How to hire a transportation security officer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step transportation security officer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a transportation security officer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new transportation security officer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a transportation security officer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The transportation security officer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A transportation security officer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, transportation security officers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of transportation security officer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Transportation Security Officer	Description	Hourly rate
   Transportation Security Officer		$13-21
   Screener	A screener is responsible for observing and screening passengers for safety and security purposes, ensuring that they comply with the appropriate baggage, items, and materials onboarding. Screeners often work at airports, malls, and other institutions for the public... Show more	$12-23
   Security	A Security's main responsibility is to keep people or an establishment safe. This responsibility is carried out by constantly patrolling a designated area and monitoring the activity within the premises... Show more	$11-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Continuous Development
   • Law Enforcement
   • Hire Training
   • TSO
   • Unexpected Obstacles
   • Stressful Environment
   • Routine Situations
   • Federal Government
   • Employee Development
   • Transportation Security Administration
   • Customer Service
   • Security Threats
   • Exit Points
   • Security Procedures

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Resolve simple, informal complaints from employees and referring others such as formal grievances & appeals to an appropriate manager.
   • Conduct entry of paperwork into PMIS.
   • Perform search and seizure of drugs and various FAA contraband.
   • Operate airport security screening equipment and identify items restrict by the FAA.
   • Certify in the working process of the terminals for the airport through training and OJT.
   • Serve as technician in addition to normal duties, and OJT instructor for new hires.

   More transportation security officer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the transportation security officer job description is a good way to get more applicants. A transportation security officer salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a transportation security officer in Iowa may be lower than in Hawaii, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level transportation security officer. Additionally, a transportation security officer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average transportation security officer salary

   $36,007yearly

   $17.31 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level transportation security officer salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 24, 2026

   Average transportation security officer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$48,779	$23
   2	Alaska	$48,619	$23
   3	Washington	$46,912	$23
   4	North Dakota	$43,577	$21
   5	Colorado	$43,308	$21
   6	California	$42,776	$21
   7	New York	$40,081	$19
   8	New Jersey	$39,674	$19
   9	New Hampshire	$39,594	$19
   10	Minnesota	$38,379	$18
   11	Maine	$38,308	$18
   12	Vermont	$38,154	$18
   13	Oregon	$38,004	$18
   14	Illinois	$37,719	$18
   15	Ohio	$37,669	$18
   16	Tennessee	$37,262	$18
   17	Nevada	$36,971	$18
   18	Arizona	$36,948	$18
   19	Georgia	$36,890	$18
   20	Nebraska	$36,749	$18

   Average transportation security officer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	National Institutes of Health	$40,400	$19.42
   2	Chugach Alaska	$38,059	$18.30	8
   3	Office of Human Services	$37,334	$17.95
   4	Department of Homeland Security	$37,155	$17.86	68
   5	Trinity Technology Group	$36,990	$17.78
   6	Indian Health Service	$36,592	$17.59	12
   7	Securitas Electronic Security	$36,430	$17.51	896
   8	Vireo Health	$36,252	$17.43
   9	ISS A/S	$36,242	$17.42
   10	National Transportation Safety Board	$36,235	$17.42
   11	Gateway Group One	$36,084	$17.35	9
   12	Indiana State Police	$35,950	$17.28	27
   13	Aviation	$35,735	$17.18	2
   14	VMD Systems	$35,684	$17.16	16
   15	Tsa	$35,476	$17.06
   16	City of Everett	$35,380	$17.01	3
   17	GardaWorld Federal Services	$35,365	$17.00	731
   18	All Pro Security, Inc.	$35,343	$16.99	11
   19	Presidio of San Francisco	$35,308	$16.98
   20	Allied Universal	$35,192	$16.92

4. Writing a transportation security officer job description

   A transportation security officer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a transportation security officer job description:

   Transportation security officer job description example

   Enjoy a starting pay rate of $19.50 per hour, which will increase to $20.25 after one year with us. Hourly wages don't matter if you don't get hours to work! Regardless of the time of year, we guarantee a minimum of 40 hours/week for full time and 30 hours/week for part time - 52 weeks/year. We will provide you with a generous and comprehensive benefits package that includes 100% paid individual health care, paid training, paid time off, and the satisfaction that comes with being a key member of a team providing a critical service.

   Duties & Responsibilities:

   ASM Operates under contract to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at privatized airports nationwide. As members of the TSA Screening Partnership Program, we provide screening of passengers, baggage, and cargo to identify and prevent dangerous objects from being transported onto aircraft.

   Qualifications:

   You must:

   • Be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National
   • Be at least 18 years of age
   • Be proficient in English
   • Have a high school diploma or General Education Development (GED) equivalent
   • Preference will be given to individuals who have at least one year of full-time work experience in the security or intelligence industry or as an X-ray technician.
   • Pass a computerized assessment that confirms your proficiency in English and potential ability to interpret X-rays
   • Pass a medical evaluation which includes tests of vision, hearing, and joint mobility exam
   • Pass ASM and TSA background and financial records checks employment.
   • Pass pre-employment and random post-employment drug tests
   • Be available to work any day of the week (Monday-Sunday), any shift (1200AM-1159PM)

   Training:

   All training and training costs are provided by ASM.

   Compensation and Benefits:

   ASM offers a competitive compensation and benefits package. In addition to paid holidays and personal time off, our benefits include health (100% company paid for the employee), dental, vision, short-term disability, long-term disability, life, and AD&D insurances along with a 401(k) plan with automatic 3% employer contribution.

   ASM is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to creating a diverse workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for and during employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

   
   
   Job Posted by ApplicantPro
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find transportation security officers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your transportation security officer job on Zippia to find and recruit transportation security officer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit transportation security officers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new transportation security officer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the transportation security officer position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new transportation security officer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a transportation security officer?