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Salary comparison

Transportation Security Screeners vs. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers: Who Earns More?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers out-earn Transportation Security Screeners by $9K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Transportation Security Screeners land at $66,770 and Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers at $76,210. The education gap is real: transportation security screener programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while police and sheriff's patrol officer programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Transportation Security Screeners is New Hampshire ($76,130); for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers it's California ($118,880).

Transportation Security Screeners
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Median salary
$66,770
$76,210
Hourly rate
$32.1/hr
$36.64/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$44,700
$47,510
Senior level (90th %)
$78,350
$115,120
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
50,290
670,520
Job growth (10-year)
-6%
3.1%
Category
Public Safety
Public Safety
Top-paying state
New Hampshire
California

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Transportation Security Screeners median pay.

State
Transportation Security Screeners
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
New Jersey
$74,400
$92,610
California
$73,610
$118,880
Massachusetts
$73,510
$78,940
Maryland
$72,240
$77,970
New York
$72,010
$92,790
Colorado
$71,530
$97,350
Alaska
$71,390
$99,130
Illinois
$70,570
$100,520
Hawaii
$70,160
$83,820
Pennsylvania
$67,330
$85,470
Minnesota
$67,290
$83,360
Nevada
$64,500
$78,140
Arizona
$64,330
$78,880
Wisconsin
$63,130
$78,090
Utah
$61,110
$77,310

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Transportation Security Screeners or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers earn more nationally. The median is $66,770 for Transportation Security Screeners versus $76,210 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers, a difference of $9K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Transportation Security Screeners or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers has the better 10-year outlook at 3.1% projected growth, compared to -6% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Transportation Security Screeners or Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers?

Transportation Security Screeners typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Transportation Security Screeners get paid the most?

New Hampshire is the top-paying state for Transportation Security Screeners at $76,130/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Transportation Security Screeners vs. Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In New Jersey, Transportation Security Screeners earn $74,400 vs. $92,610 for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Transportation Security Screeners salary breakdownView →Full Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Transportation Security Screeners by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers by take-home payExplore →How to become a transportation security screenersGuide →How to become a police and sheriff's patrol officersGuide →