Transportation Inspectors Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for transportation inspectors in the U.S. is $92,100 ($44.28 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $92,100
- Mean annual wage
- $88,540
- Median hourly wage
- $44.28
- Employment
- 24,500
24,500 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $40,330 | $19.39 |
| 25th percentile | $58,780 | $28.26 |
| Median (50th) | $92,100 | $44.28 |
| 75th percentile | $108,890 | $52.35 |
| 90th percentile | $138,670 | $66.67 |
Highest-paying states for transportation inspectors
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $123,120 | 170 |
| Iowa | $116,850 | 60 |
| Oklahoma | $111,070 | 470 |
| Hawaii | $108,270 | 150 |
| Alabama | $108,140 | 670 |
| North Dakota | $106,330 | 60 |
| Washington | $104,250 | 490 |
| Kansas | $103,380 | 210 |
| Florida | $101,470 | 1,630 |
| Texas | $101,440 | 2,290 |
Lowest-paying states
- Michigan: $35,890 median annual wage
- Illinois: $47,990 median annual wage
- New Jersey: $49,250 median annual wage
- Nevada: $50,060 median annual wage
- Idaho: $54,330 median annual wage
About this occupation
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.
Typical tasks
- Inspect shipments to ensure that freight is securely braced and blocked.
- 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.
- Measure heights and widths of loads to ensure they will pass over bridges or through tunnels on scheduled routes.
- Recommend remedial procedures to correct any violations found during inspections.
- Direct crews to reload freight or to insert additional bracing or packing as necessary.
- Notify workers of any special treatment required for shipments.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 5.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 32.9% |
| Some college, no degree | 26.7% |
| Associate's degree | 15.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 14.6% |
| Master's degree | 4.2% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.4% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,240
- Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,640
- Light Truck Drivers$44,860
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$46,420
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$62,890
- Packers and Packagers, Hand$36,280
- Driver/Sales Workers$38,770
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.