Transportation Inspector salary in the U.S.
Transportation Inspectors in the U.S. earn a median of $92,100 a year ($44.28 an hour), based on BLS data for 24,500 workers.
Pay ranges from $40,330 for the lowest-paid 10% to $138,670 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $88,540, close to the median.
Pay range for transportation inspectors in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $40,330 | $19.39 |
| 25th percentile | $58,780 | $28.26 |
| Median | $92,100 | $44.28 |
| 75th percentile | $108,890 | $52.35 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $138,670 | $66.67 |
| Average (mean) | $88,540 | $42.57 |
Half of transportation inspectors earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $7,675 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,837.50 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,542.31 |
| Weekly | $1,771.15 |
| Hourly | $44.28 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Transportation Inspector salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Maryland | $100,700 | 250 |
| Georgia | $95,030 | 880 |
| New York | $93,420 | 3,720 |
| Minnesota | $92,860 | 310 |
| Connecticut | $91,520 | 330 |
| District of Columbia | $89,960 | 150 |
| Arkansas | $85,130 | 120 |
| North Carolina | $84,470 | 380 |
| Kentucky | $83,970 | 260 |
| California | $83,000 | 1,790 |
| Colorado | $81,820 | 460 |
| Pennsylvania | $81,550 | 340 |
| South Carolina | $80,490 | 440 |
| Indiana | $80,330 | 250 |
| Massachusetts | $79,650 | n/a |
| Tennessee | $78,430 | 420 |
| Oregon | $78,110 | 250 |
| Louisiana | $77,460 | 130 |
| Ohio | $77,010 | 430 |
| Wisconsin | $75,260 | 120 |
| South Dakota | $70,080 | 100 |
| Virginia | $68,610 | 330 |
| Missouri | $64,690 | 380 |
| Utah | $64,480 | 210 |
| Maine | $63,750 | 90 |
| New Mexico | $63,690 | 230 |
| Montana | $62,810 | 180 |
| Arizona | $62,250 | 830 |
| West Virginia | $58,670 | 90 |
| Idaho | $54,330 | 170 |
| Guam | $52,540 | 70 |
| Nevada | $50,060 | 430 |
| New Jersey | $49,250 | 930 |
| Illinois | $47,990 | 1,130 |
| Michigan | $35,890 | 540 |
| Puerto Rico | $29,760 | 250 |
Best-paying metro areas for transportation inspectors
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $140,880 | 180 |
| Anchorage, AK | $131,060 | 110 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $129,480 | 270 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $126,710 | 290 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $126,010 | 890 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $121,410 | 280 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $120,000 | 120 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $115,920 | 70 |
| Columbia, SC | $115,210 | 40 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $109,990 | 160 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $108,270 | 130 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $107,840 | 160 |
| Longview, TX | $107,670 | 30 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $107,640 | 480 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $107,330 | 80 |
Metro areas with the most transportation inspectors
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 4,000 | $93,420 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 890 | $126,010 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 820 | $100,100 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 690 | $51,990 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 570 | $55,070 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 560 | $101,040 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 480 | $107,640 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 480 | $92,570 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 300 | $46,800 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 300 | $97,170 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 290 | $126,710 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 280 | $121,410 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 280 | $49,420 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 270 | $129,480 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 240 | $52,760 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Parking Attendant | $35,150 | $16.90 |
| Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants | $35,670 | $17.15 |
| Aircraft Service Attendant | $40,450 | $19.45 |
| Passenger Attendant | $37,720 | $18.14 |
| Transportation Workers, All Other | $45,650 | $21.95 |
| Traffic Technician | $59,090 | $28.41 |
| Bridge and Lock Tenders | $57,700 | $27.74 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $40,240 | $19.35 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $37,330 | $17.95 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $58,640 | $28.19 |
| Light Truck Driver | $44,860 | $21.57 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | $46,420 | $22.32 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors | $62,890 | $30.23 |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | $36,280 | $17.44 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 53-6051. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a transportation inspector make in the U.S.?
The median salary for transportation inspectors in the U.S. is $92,100 a year, or $44.28 an hour. Pay ranges from $40,330 for the lowest-paid 10% to $138,670 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid transportation inspectors make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of transportation inspectors in the U.S. earn at least $138,670 a year. The top 25% earn $108,890 or more.
What is the starting pay for transportation inspectors in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $40,330 a year, and a quarter of transportation inspectors earn $58,780 or less.
How many transportation inspectors work in the U.S.?
About 24,500 transportation inspectors are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.