Transportation Security Screeners
What Transportation Security Screeners Do
Conduct screening of passengers, baggage, or cargo to ensure compliance with Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulations. May operate basic security equipment such as x-ray machines and hand wands at screening checkpoints.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 0.3%
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 2 of 5Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Job training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Public Safety and Securityimportance 3.8/5
- Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 3.6/5
- English Languageimportance 3.6/5
- Law and Governmentimportance 2.7/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 2.7/5
- Administration and Managementimportance 2.4/5
- Transportationimportance 2.4/5
- Psychologyimportance 2.4/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.7/5
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.7/5
- Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People4.6/5
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.6/5
- Contact With Others4.5/5
- Physical Proximity4.4/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Nuclear Medicine Technologists93% skill match
- Log Graders and Scalers93% skill match
- Dental Hygienists93% skill match
- Veterinary Technologists and Technicians92% skill match
- Forensic Science Technicians92% skill match
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers92% skill match
- Forest and Conservation Technicians91% skill match
- Prepress Technicians and Workers91% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.3/5
- Coordinationimportance 3.3/5
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.1/5
- Persuasionimportance 3.0/5
- Service Orientationimportance 3.0/5
- Instructingimportance 2.9/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.8/5
- Operations Monitoringimportance 2.8/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
Other Software Used
- Applicant tracking software
- Email software
- Oracle Taleo
- Rapiscan Threat Image Projection
- Web browser software
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Integrity
- Self-Control
- Stress Tolerance
- Cooperation
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- ConventionalHigh
- RealisticHigh
- EnterprisingLow
- SocialLow
- InvestigativeLow
- ArtisticLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where transportation security screeners make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Kahului-Wailuku, HI6.50× national avg
- 2Urban Honolulu, HI4.20× national avg
- 3Aguadilla, PR3.99× national avg
- 4Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL3.57× national avg
- 5Bozeman, MT3.55× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Baggage Porters and BellhopsCareer Change
- Parking Enforcement WorkersLateral Move
- Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive FirersCareer Change
- Correctional Officers and JailersLateral Move
See the full career path from Transportation Security Screeners →