Transportation Security Screeners Salary
In Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD, transportation security screeners earn $72,240 at the median, or about $34.73 an hour. The range runs from $57K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 104.49), that's roughly $69,136 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,857/month, about 39.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $72K get you in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Baltimore-Columbia-Towson’s Regional Price Parity (104.49). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About transportation security screeners
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What this looks like in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson
Transportation security screeners pay in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson tracks closely to the national median, $72K locally vs. $67K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,857/month, which is 39.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 104.49) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for transportation security screeners in metros near Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $70K | $64K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $67K | $66K |
| Pittsburgh | $65K | $69K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $62K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
Entry-level transportation security screeners (10th percentile) start around $57K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Transportation Security Screeners pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Transportation Security Screeners salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $76K | +14% | 80 |
| New Jersey | $74K | +11% | 1,200 |
| California | $74K | +10% | 5,410 |
| Massachusetts | $74K | +10% | 1,380 |
| Maryland | $72K | +8% | 570 |
| New York | $72K | +8% | 4,240 |
| Colorado | $72K | +7% | 1,250 |
| Rhode Island | $72K | +7% | 160 |
| Alaska | $71K | +7% | 440 |
| Illinois | $71K | +6% | 1,970 |
| Hawaii | $70K | +5% | 1,010 |
| Virginia | $70K | +5% | 1,870 |
| Texas | $69K | +3% | 4,300 |
| Michigan | $67K | +1% | 1,070 |
| Pennsylvania | $67K | +1% | 1,460 |
| Minnesota | $67K | +1% | 740 |
| Georgia | $67K | +0% | 1,850 |
| Ohio | $66K | -1% | 690 |
| Vermont | $65K | -2% | 80 |
| North Carolina | $65K | -3% | 1,300 |
| Nevada | $65K | -3% | 1,350 |
| Arizona | $64K | -4% | 1,380 |
| New Mexico | $64K | -4% | 200 |
| Alabama | $64K | -4% | 260 |
| Florida | $63K | -5% | 6,920 |
| Idaho | $63K | -5% | 250 |
| Kansas | $63K | -5% | 120 |
| Kentucky | $63K | -5% | 510 |
| Louisiana | $63K | -5% | 460 |
| Maine | $63K | -5% | 160 |
| Mississippi | $63K | -5% | 170 |
| South Carolina | $63K | -5% | 480 |
| West Virginia | $63K | -5% | 90 |
| Wisconsin | $63K | -5% | 540 |
| Nebraska | $62K | -8% | 290 |
| Indiana | $62K | -8% | 460 |
| Iowa | $62K | -8% | 220 |
| Utah | $61K | -8% | 510 |
| Arkansas | $61K | -8% | 190 |
| Wyoming | $61K | -8% | 90 |
| Tennessee | $61K | -8% | 840 |
| South Dakota | $56K | -17% | 60 |
| North Dakota | $55K | -18% | 170 |
| Montana | $55K | -18% | 330 |
| Missouri | $51K | -23% | 930 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track transportation security screeners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Baltimore-Columbia-Towson numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a transportation security screener afford a 2BR apartment alone in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 39.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,857/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for transportation security screeners in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new transportation security screeners typically earn — is $57K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,430/month. At HUD’s $1,857/month FMR, rent would take 54% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is transportation security screener a high-paying job in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $72K locally vs. $67K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Baltimore-Columbia-Towson compare to the national average for transportation security screeners?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 104.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do transportation security screeners make in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD?
The median is $72,240 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $57,160, and experienced transportation security screeners can clear $79,230. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,662/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,857/month, which eats 39.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a transportation security screeners salary go in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson has a Regional Price Parity of 104.49 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median transportation security screeners salary is worth about $69,136 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do transportation security screeners get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.