Transportation security officer vs passenger screener

The differences between transportation security officers and passenger screeners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a passenger screener has an average salary of $40,184, which is higher than the $36,007 average annual salary of a transportation security officer.

The top three skills for a transportation security officer include continuous development, law enforcement and hire training. The most important skills for a passenger screener are customer service, x-ray machines, and metal detectors.

Transportation security officer vs passenger screener overview

	Transportation Security Officer	Passenger Screener
Yearly salary	$36,007	$40,184
Hourly rate	$17.31	$19.32
Growth rate	3%	-
Number of jobs	127,192	1,776
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 47%	Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	-	-

Transportation security officer vs passenger screener salary

Transportation security officers and passenger screeners have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Transportation Security Officer	Passenger Screener
Average salary	$36,007	$40,184
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $44,000	Between $21,000 And $74,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	-
Highest paying state	Hawaii	-
Best paying company	National Institutes of Health	-
Best paying industry	Government	-

Differences between transportation security officer and passenger screener education

There are a few differences between a transportation security officer and a passenger screener in terms of educational background:

	Transportation Security Officer	Passenger Screener
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 47%	Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Transportation security officer vs passenger screener demographics

Here are the differences between transportation security officers' and passenger screeners' demographics:

	Transportation Security Officer	Passenger Screener
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 57.2% Female, 42.8%	Male, 55.6% Female, 44.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 22.2% Asian, 4.0% White, 53.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 14.8% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 3.8% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	16%	16%

Differences between transportation security officer and passenger screener duties and responsibilities

Transportation security officer example 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.

Passenger screener example responsibilities.

Monitor all flow of access.conduct Random ETD (explosive trace detection) on passengers.
Calibrate and complete verific testing on the ETD machines and complete require maintenance on machines to enable full effectiveness.
Assess pediatric patients for developmental delays using screening tool, consult with clinic pediatricians, and evaluate parent or caregiver concerns.
Verify physician orders and handle patient sensitive information daily while abiding by HIPAA regulations.

Transportation security officer vs passenger screener skills

Common transportation security officer skills

Continuous Development, 12%
Law Enforcement, 9%
Hire Training, 9%
TSO, 8%
Unexpected Obstacles, 8%
Stressful Environment, 7%

Common passenger screener skills

Customer Service, 40%
X-Ray Machines, 16%
Metal Detectors, 16%
X Ray Machines, 10%
ETD, 5%
Hazardous Materials, 4%

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Transportation Security Officer
Transportation Security Officer vs Passenger Screener

Updated January 8, 2025

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