Transportation Inspectors
SOC code 53-6051 · O*NET-SOC 53-6051.00 · Considerable preparation needed · Transportation
Transportation Inspectors pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$92,100
a year
Hourly
$44.28
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$88,540
$42.57 per hour
Middle 50%
$58,780 – $108,890
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$40,330 – $138,670
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
24,500
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $40,330
- $19.39/hr
- 25th percentile
- $58,780
- $28.26/hr
- Median percentile
- $92,100
- $44.28/hr
- 75th percentile
- $108,890
- $52.35/hr
- 90th percentile
- $138,670
- $66.67/hr
What does a transportation inspector do?
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.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Prepare and submit reports after completion of freight shipments.
- Inspect shipments to ensure that freight is securely braced and blocked.
- Record details about freight conditions, handling of freight, and any problems encountered.
- Advise crews in techniques of stowing dangerous and heavy cargo.
- Observe loading of freight to ensure that crews comply with procedures.
- Post warning signs on vehicles containing explosives or flammable or radioactive materials.
- Recommend remedial procedures to correct any violations found during inspections.
- Measure heights and widths of loads to ensure they will pass over bridges or through tunnels on scheduled routes.
How to become a transportation inspector
Preparation level: zone 4 — Considerable preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
The federal survey did not capture education levels for this specific occupation, so the preparation-level card above is the best guide to the entry route.
Common questions
How much does a transportation inspector earn?
The national median is $92,100 a year. The full range runs from $40,330 at the 10th percentile to $138,670 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a transportation inspector without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 4, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension3.6/5
- Writing3.6/5
- Speaking3.6/5
- Critical Thinking3.6/5
- Active Listening3.5/5
- Monitoring3.4/5
Knowledge areas
- Transportation3.9/5
- English Language3.8/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.5/5
- Mathematics3.2/5
- Public Safety and Security3.2/5
- Administration and Management3.0/5
- Mechanical3.0/5
- Law and Government3.0/5
Transferable strengths: Time Management, Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination.