Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Transportation Security Screener salary in Pennsylvania
The average Transportation Security Screener salary in Pennsylvania is $65,500 per year on WePayFairly's 2026 basis. The 25th-to-75th-percentile range is $57,000 to $72,000. Based on BLS state wage data, aged to 2026.
The following occupation, experience, industry and career information describes the role nationally. For Pennsylvania pay, use the state figures above and the state salary questions below.
Total cash compensation
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$66,500
National baseline
Target bonus
$6,500
10.1% of base
Total target cash
$73,000
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$4,00050th$6,50075th$10,500
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
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About this role
Transportation Security Screener is a professional role within the function in the Protective Service job family.
Typical entry preparation: High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
Inspect carry-on items, using x-ray viewing equipment, to determine whether items contain objects that warrant further investigation.
Search carry-on or checked baggage by hand when it is suspected to contain prohibited items such as weapons.
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.
Test baggage for any explosive materials, using equipment such as explosive detection machines or chemical swab systems.
Perform pat-down or hand-held wand searches of passengers who have triggered machine alarms, who are unable to pass through metal detectors, or who have been randomly identified for such searches.
Top skills:SpeakingMonitoringSocial PerceptivenessCritical ThinkingCoordinationActive Listening
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Transportation Security Screener pay by experience level
Entry level$46,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$59,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$69,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$75,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$81,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
-6%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
4,700
projected openings per year
Declining
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Transportation Security Screener salary by industry
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
46,020 workers
$68,000
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
45,490 workers
$68,500
Support Activities for Transportation
3,070 workers
$51,500
Support Activities for Air Transportation
3,050 workers
$51,500
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services$48,500
Administrative and Support Services$45,000
Investigation and Security Services$45,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Who works in this role
About 52,000 people held this occupation in the United States in 2025.
Women
32.8%
White
72.7%
Black or African American
9.5%
Asian
11.3%
Hispanic or Latino
31%
Race categories and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity overlap, so shares can sum to more than 100 percent. Figures describe this occupation across the national workforce, not any single employer. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, Annual Averages, Table 11, 2025.
Pay trend
National median annual wage, 2020 to 2025: $44,300 to $66,770.
+50.7% over this period
Medians as published each May in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national estimates. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS.
Pay by experience level
How annual pay for this occupation spreads from newcomers to the highest paid, aged to 2026.
Entry10th percentile
$46,500
Early career25th percentile
$59,000
Median50th percentile
$69,000
Experienced75th percentile
$75,500
Top earners90th percentile
$81,000
Bands are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for this occupation nationally. Percentiles reflect the full mix of tenure, employer, and location, so they approximate but do not equal years of experience. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS national estimates.
Where this job pays most
Top-paying states for this occupation, average annual wage aged to 2026.
State averages for this occupation from the BLS OEWS state estimates. Cost of living differs by state; a higher wage does not always mean more buying power.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET occupational database.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Inspect carry-on items, using x-ray viewing equipment, to determine whether items contain objects that warrant further investigation.
Search carry-on or checked baggage by hand when it is suspected to contain prohibited items such as weapons.
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.
Test baggage for any explosive materials, using equipment such as explosive detection machines or chemical swab systems.
Perform pat-down or hand-held wand searches of passengers who have triggered machine alarms, who are unable to pass through metal detectors, or who have been randomly identified for such searches.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
Pay outlook
Five-year pay outlook for this title
2026$66,500
2027$69,000
2028$71,000
2029$73,500
2030$76,500
2031$79,000
Projection assumes market wages keep rising about 3.5% a year, consistent with recent wage growth measured by the BLS Employment Cost Index. It reflects market movement for the title, not individual raises or promotions, which vary.
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Sources and assumptions
Modeled market estimate, aged to 2026. Underlying source families are BLS OEWS May 2025 for BLS-mapped occupations and the 2018–19 collection for corporate titles. Annual aging is compounded at approximately 3–4%; geographic, industry and company-size repricing are modeled. See the role details and methodology for the applicable source and assumptions.
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Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Pennsylvania salary questions
How much does a Transportation Security Screener make in Pennsylvania?
The average base salary for a Transportation Security Screener in Pennsylvania is $65,500 per year, or about $31.49 per hour, on WePayFairly's 2026 basis.
What is the median Transportation Security Screener salary in Pennsylvania?
The median is $69,500 per year on the same 2026 basis. The median is the middle wage in the state distribution; the average is $65,500.
What is the typical Transportation Security Screener salary range in Pennsylvania?
The 25th-to-75th-percentile range in Pennsylvania is $57,000 to $72,000 per year on the 2026 basis. These percentiles describe the state wage distribution; individual pay varies by employer and experience.
How does Transportation Security Screener pay in Pennsylvania compare with the national average?
The Pennsylvania average of $65,500 is $1,000 (1.5%) below the national average of $66,500. Both figures use WePayFairly's 2026 basis.
Where do these Pennsylvania salary figures come from?
The state figures come from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics state data. WePayFairly applies the same compounded market movement factor used elsewhere on this page to express the published figures on a 2026 basis. They are estimates, not a guarantee of a particular offer.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Transportation Security Screener pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
