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Transportation security officer salary
Average transportation security officer salary
$36,007
Average Transportation Security Officer Salary
The average salary for a Transportation Security Officer in the United States is approximately $36,007 annually, translating to about $17 per hour. This compensation can vary significantly based on factors such as geographical location, years of experience, and specific responsibilities. For example, officers in metropolitan areas or states with higher living costs tend to earn more.
Highest Paying States for Transportation Security Officers
States like California, New York, and Texas often offer higher salaries for transportation security roles, reflecting the demand and cost of living in these regions. In addition to base salary, many positions come with benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off, enhancing overall compensation.
Career Advancement Opportunities
With experience, transportation security officers can advance to supervisory or managerial roles, significantly increasing their earning potential. They may also specialize in areas such as threat assessment or advanced security technology, leading to higher salaries. Understanding the factors influencing salary and career progression will empower aspiring officers to make informed decisions about their career paths.
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Where can a Transportation Security Officer earn more?
Transportation security officer salary estimates from across the web
Average transportation security officer salary by state
The highest-paying states for transportation security officers are Hawaii, Alaska, and Massachusetts. The lowest average transportation security officer salary states are Iowa, Indiana, and West Virginia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for transportation security officers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $43,642 | $20.98 |
| 2 | Washington | $46,736 | $22.47 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $38,416 | $18.47 |
| 4 | Ohio | $37,899 | $18.22 |
| 5 | Texas | $38,729 | $18.62 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $48,783 | $23.45 |
| 7 | Alaska | $48,886 | $23.50 |
| 8 | Maine | $38,262 | $18.40 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $39,591 | $19.03 |
| 10 | Colorado | $43,287 | $20.81 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $49,890 | $23.99 |
| 12 | New York | $40,170 | $19.31 |
| 13 | Vermont | $38,179 | $18.36 |
| 14 | Tennessee | $37,276 | $17.92 |
| 15 | Arizona | $36,912 | $17.75 |
| 16 | Nebraska | $36,717 | $17.65 |
| 17 | New Jersey | $39,522 | $19.00 |
| 18 | Connecticut | $39,733 | $19.10 |
| 19 | Nevada | $36,250 | $17.43 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $35,574 | $17.10 |
| 21 | Illinois | $37,615 | $18.08 |
| 22 | California | $42,962 | $20.65 |
| 23 | Georgia | $36,842 | $17.71 |
| 24 | Oregon | $38,022 | $18.28 |
| 25 | Michigan | $36,020 | $17.32 |
| 26 | Alabama | $35,340 | $16.99 |
| 27 | Florida | $37,005 | $17.79 |
| 28 | Idaho | $35,311 | $16.98 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $34,922 | $16.79 |
| 30 | Utah | $36,545 | $17.57 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $35,312 | $16.98 |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $34,922 | $16.79 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $34,550 | $16.61 |
| 34 | Maryland | $38,037 | $18.29 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $35,155 | $16.90 |
| 36 | Virginia | $36,232 | $17.42 |
| 37 | Iowa | $34,385 | $16.53 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $34,795 | $16.73 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $35,506 | $17.07 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $34,741 | $16.70 |
| 41 | Wyoming | $35,158 | $16.90 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $33,932 | $16.31 |
| 43 | Kansas | $34,717 | $16.69 |
| 44 | Missouri | $34,664 | $16.67 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $34,795 | $16.73 |
| 46 | Montana | $35,169 | $16.91 |
| 47 | Rhode Island | $31,418 | $15.10 |
| 48 | Indiana | $34,068 | $16.38 |
| 49 | Delaware | $29,996 | $14.42 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $31,382 | $15.09 |
| 51 | District of Columbia | $29,614 | $14.24 |
Highest paying cities for transportation security officers
The highest-paying cities for transportation security officers are Boston, MA, Fairbanks, AK, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $48,779 | $23.45 |
| 2 | Fairbanks, AK | $48,619 | $23.37 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $46,912 | $22.55 |
| 4 | Fargo, ND | $43,577 | $20.95 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $43,308 | $20.82 |
| 6 | Los Angeles, CA | $42,776 | $20.57 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $40,081 | $19.27 |
| 8 | Newark, NJ | $39,674 | $19.07 |
| 9 | Manchester, NH | $39,594 | $19.04 |
| 10 | Minneapolis, MN | $38,379 | $18.45 |
| 11 | Portland, ME | $38,308 | $18.42 |
| 12 | Burlington, VT | $38,154 | $18.34 |
| 13 | Portland, OR | $38,004 | $18.27 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $37,719 | $18.13 |
| 15 | Columbus, OH | $37,669 | $18.11 |
| 16 | Memphis, TN | $37,262 | $17.91 |
| 17 | Reno, NV | $36,971 | $17.77 |
| 18 | Phoenix, AZ | $36,948 | $17.76 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $36,890 | $17.74 |
| 20 | Omaha, NE | $36,749 | $17.67 |
Transportation security officer salary details
A transportation security officer's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $44,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a transportation security officer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 75th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| Average | $36,007 | $3,001 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying transportation security officer jobs
The highest paying types of transportation security officers are transportation officer, bag checker, and lead security officer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screener | $36,366 | $3,031 | $17.48 | 3,108 |
| Security | $31,836 | $2,653 | $15.31 | 150,586 |
| Security Officer | $31,101 | $2,592 | $14.95 | 125,879 |
| Lead Security Officer | $43,560 | $3,630 | $20.94 | 114,945 |
| Transportation Officer | $50,972 | $4,248 | $24.51 | 75,504 |
Top companies hiring transportation security officers now:
Which companies pay transportation security officers the most?
Transportation security officer salaries at National Institutes of Health and Chugach Alaska are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average transportation security officer salary at companies like Office of Human Services and Department of Homeland Security are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Institutes of Health | $40,400 | $19.42 |
| 2 | Chugach Alaska | $38,059 | $18.30 |
| 3 | Office of Human Services | $37,334 | $17.95 |
| 4 | Department of Homeland Security | $37,155 | $17.86 |
| 5 | Trinity Technology Group | $36,990 | $17.78 |
| 6 | Indian Health Service | $36,592 | $17.59 |
| 7 | Securitas Electronic Security | $36,430 | $17.51 |
| 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 |
| 12 | Indiana State Police | $35,950 | $17.28 |
| 13 | Aviation | $35,735 | $17.18 |
| 14 | VMD Systems | $35,684 | $17.16 |
| 15 | Tsa | $35,476 | $17.06 |
| 16 | City of Everett | $35,380 | $17.01 |
| 17 | GardaWorld Federal Services | $35,365 | $17.00 |
| 18 | All Pro Security, Inc. | $35,343 | $16.99 |
| 19 | Presidio of San Francisco | $35,308 | $16.98 |
| 20 | Allied Universal | $35,192 | $16.92 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Transportation security officer salary trends
The average transportation security officer salary has risen by $6,007 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average transportation security officer earned $30,000 annually, but today, they earn $36,007 a year. That works out to a 12% change in pay for transportation security officers over the last decade.
Compare transportation security officer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average transportation security officer salary over time
Compare transportation security officer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Transportation security officer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $36,000 | $17.31 | +5.7% |
| 2024 | $34,000 | $16.32 | +0.7% |
| 2023 | $33,700 | $16.21 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $33,000 | $15.86 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $32,300 | $15.51 | +0.9% |
Recently added transportation security officer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allied Universal | Security Officer-Public Transportation | Waipahu, HI | 06/28/2025 | $48,001 |
| Allied Universal | Security Officer-Transportation Unit | Mount Vernon, WA | 06/27/2025 | $45,914 |
| Department of Homeland Security | Supervisory Transportation Security Officer | Lihue, HI | 06/26/2025 | $77,192 |
| Department of Homeland Security | Transportation Security Officer | Indianapolis, IN | 06/26/2025 | $48,378 |
| Department of Homeland Security | Transportation Security Officer | Columbia, MO | 06/26/2025 | $40,332 |
| Allied Universal Security | Security Officer-Transportation | Kenner, LA | 06/25/2025 | $32,453 |
| Allied Universal Security | Security-Inmate Transport Officer-Armed | Milwaukee, WI | 06/25/2025 | $58,436 |
| Department of Homeland Security | Transportation Security Officer | Helena, MT | 06/22/2025 | $45,649 |
| Department of Homeland Security | Master Transportation Security Officer-Security Training Instructor (Mtso-Sti) | New Haven, CT | 06/20/2025 | $72,017 |
| Department of Homeland Security | Transportation Security Officer | Sioux City, IA | 06/20/2025 | $40,332 |
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