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Transportation Inspectors Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks

SOC 53-6051 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data

Median Annual Salary
$92,102
$44.28/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Transportation Inspectors salary in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS August 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

$Competitive · ~P50
P10$40K
P25$59K
P50$92K
P75$109K
P90$139K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
⚡
Demand: ACTIVE. Demand is active -- the broader market openings are at 4.3% (JOLTS, August 2026). A balanced market where the median is a solid, competitive anchor.
📈
Merit budget: Wages in private industry are rising about 3.1% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 2.7-3.2% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $92,102 to $108,888 (market median to the 75th percentile). The median-to-P75 range keeps offers competitive.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Transportation Inspectors pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

Median pay for this role rose 7.4% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, outpacing the 3.1% wage growth of the broader market (BLS ECI).

Hiring demand · MODERATE

the broader market is running a 4.3% job-openings rate with quits at 1.9% (BLS JOLTS).

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 3.4 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is wider than typical, so expect large pay differences by experience, employer size, and geography; build generous ranges and differentiate strongly.

What changed recently
  • Sep 29, 2026JOLTS August 2026: national job openings little changed at 7.1M (4.3% rate); hires 5.2M, separations 5.1M, quits steady at 1.9%. July openings revised up 64K to 7.3M.
  • Sep 1, 2026JOLTS July 2026: national job openings little changed at 7.3M (4.4% rate), but hires fell to 5.1M and separations to 5.1M. Quits slipped to 1.9%. June openings revised down to 7.2M.
  • Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: national job openings little changed at 7.4M (4.4% rate), hires flat at 5.3M, quits steady at 2.0%.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS August 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Transportation Inspectors is $92,102 per year ($44.28/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $58,781 and $108,888 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $138,674 per year. There are approximately 24,500 transportation inspectors employed in the United States.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

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.

Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+1.7%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
3K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
26K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
2% from new growth98% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training

Industry Wage Breakdown

Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
IndustryWorkforce Median Pay
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999100
4K$131,730
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999300
4K$93,420
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999200
3K$68,100
Support Activities for Air Transportation
NAICS 488100
3K$79,620
Automotive Repair and Maintenance
NAICS 811100
2K$40,810
Wage range across top 5 industries: $40,810 to $131,730 (223% spread)

Wage Percentiles

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
PercentileHourly RateAnnual Salary
P10$19.39$40,331
P25$28.26$58,781
P50MEDIAN$44.28$92,102
P75$52.35$108,888
P90$66.67$138,674

Market Context Signal

JOLTS · other sector
Active
Openings Rate
4.3%
Quits Rate
1.9%

The labor market held steady in August: job openings were little changed at 7.1M (rate 4.3%), hires changed little at 5.2M, and total separations were unchanged at 5.1M. Quits were unchanged at 3.1M (rate 1.9%) and layoffs stayed low at 1.6M (1.0%). July was revised up: openings +64K to 7.3M, hires +92K to 5.1M.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average transportation inspectors salary?

The national median salary for Transportation Inspectors is $92,102 per year ($44.28/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $58,781 and $108,888 annually.

How much do top-earning transportation inspectors make?

The 90th percentile salary for Transportation Inspectors is $138,674 per year ($66.67/hr). The 75th percentile is $108,888 per year.

What is the entry-level salary for transportation inspectors?

Entry-level Transportation Inspectors (10th percentile) earn approximately $40,331 per year ($19.39/hr). The 25th percentile is $58,781 per year.

Related Salary Data

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Transportation Inspectors Salary by State

Top 5 states by employment
New York3,720 workersTexas2,290 workersCalifornia1,790 workersFlorida1,630 workersIllinois1,130 workers

About This Data

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.

P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.

Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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