How much does a Transportation Inspectors make?

The median annual wage for Transportation Inspectors is $92,100 ($44 per hour). Pay ranges from about $40,330 at the 10th percentile to $138,670 at the 90th percentile.

What is the average salary for a Transportation Inspectors?

The average (mean) annual salary is $88,540, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.

Which state pays Transportation Inspectorss the most?

Alaska has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $123,120.

Is Transportation Inspectors a growing occupation?

BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 25K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.

What does a Transportation Inspectors do?

Inspect vehicles or other equipment for evidence of abuse, damage, or mechanical malfunction.; Inspect vehicles or equipment to ensure compliance with rules, standards, or regulations.; Inspect repairs to transportation vehicles or equipment to ensure that repair work was performed properly..

Transportation Inspectors Salary

Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · 25K employed in the U.S.

Median annual

$92,100

Median hourly

$44

Average annual

$88,540

Typical range

$40,330–$138,670

Pay distribution

10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.

10th$40,330

25th$58,780

Median$92,100

75th$108,890

90th$138,670

What this role pays

The median annual salary for Transportation Inspectors is $92,100 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $44 an hour at a full-time schedule.

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..

Most earn between $40,330 and $138,670 a year. There are roughly 25K people employed as transportation inspectors in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.

Salary calculator

Convert your pay and see where it lands for Transportation Inspectors.

Pay amountPay period

Hours / weekWeeks / year

Hourly: $44.28
Daily: $354
Weekly: $1,771
Bi-weekly: $3,542
Monthly: $7,675
Annual: $92,100

$92,100 a year is around the 50th percentile for Transportation Inspectorss. The median is $92,100.

Transportation Inspectors — U.S., May 2025
Percentile	Hourly	Annual
10th percentile	$19.40	$40,330
25th percentile	$28.30	$58,780
Median	$44.30	$92,100
75th percentile	$52.40	$108,890
90th percentile	$66.70	$138,670
Average (mean)	$42.60	$88,540
Employment	24,500 people

Key skills

Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Speaking
Operations Monitoring
Quality Control Analysis
Writing
Monitoring
Time Management
Complex Problem Solving

Highest-paying states

Median annual wage by state.

1Alaska$123,120
2Iowa$116,850
3Oklahoma$111,070
4Hawaii$108,270
5Alabama$108,140
6North Dakota$106,330
7Washington$104,250
8Kansas$103,380
9Florida$101,470
10Texas$101,440
11Maryland$100,700
12Georgia$95,030

Top-paying metro areas

Median annual wage by metro area.

1Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$140,880
2Anchorage, AK$131,060
3Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$129,480
4Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL$126,710
5Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$126,010
6Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$121,410
7Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$120,000
8Memphis, TN-MS-AR$115,920
9Columbia, SC$115,210
10Oklahoma City, OK$109,990
11Urban Honolulu, HI$108,270
12Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$107,840

Related job titles

Employers advertise Transportation Inspectors roles under these titles.

Related occupations

What a Transportation Inspectors does

Inspect vehicles or other equipment for evidence of abuse, damage, or mechanical malfunction.
Inspect vehicles or equipment to ensure compliance with rules, standards, or regulations.
Inspect repairs to transportation vehicles or equipment to ensure that repair work was performed properly.
Inspect new, repaired, or modified aircraft to identify damage or defects and to assess airworthiness and conformance to standards, using checklists, hand tools, and test instruments.
Prepare and maintain detailed repair, inspection, investigation, and certification records and reports.
Recommend replacement, repair, or modification of aircraft equipment.
Inspect work of aircraft mechanics performing maintenance, modification, or repair and overhaul of aircraft and aircraft mechanical systems to ensure adherence to standards and procedures.
Examine maintenance records and flight logs to determine if service and maintenance checks and overhauls were performed at prescribed intervals.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Transportation Inspectors make?: The median annual wage for Transportation Inspectors is $92,100 ($44 per hour). Pay ranges from about $40,330 at the 10th percentile to $138,670 at the 90th percentile.
What is the average salary for a Transportation Inspectors?: The average (mean) annual salary is $88,540, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
Which state pays Transportation Inspectorss the most?: Alaska has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $123,120.
Is Transportation Inspectors a growing occupation?: BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 25K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
What does a Transportation Inspectors do?: Inspect vehicles or other equipment for evidence of abuse, damage, or mechanical malfunction.; Inspect vehicles or equipment to ensure compliance with rules, standards, or regulations.; Inspect repairs to transportation vehicles or equipment to ensure that repair work was performed properly..