Transportation Security Screeners Salary
In Brownsville-Harlingen, TX, transportation security screeners earn $65,170 at the median, or about $31.33 an hour. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $71K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.97), which stretches that salary to about $75,806 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,047/month, or 23.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $65K get you in Brownsville-Harlingen?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Brownsville-Harlingen’s Regional Price Parity (85.97). 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 Brownsville-Harlingen
Transportation security screeners pay in Brownsville-Harlingen tracks closely to the national median, $65K locally vs. $67K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,047/month, 23.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for transportation security screeners in metros near Brownsville-Harlingen, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $69K | $67K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $63K | $64K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $64K | $68K |
| El Paso | $63K | $70K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
Entry-level transportation security screeners (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $71K or more, a $10K 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 |
| Idaho | $63K | -5% | 250 |
| Wisconsin | $63K | -5% | 540 |
| West Virginia | $63K | -5% | 90 |
| Mississippi | $63K | -5% | 170 |
| Louisiana | $63K | -5% | 460 |
| Kentucky | $63K | -5% | 510 |
| Kansas | $63K | -5% | 120 |
| Maine | $63K | -5% | 160 |
| Florida | $63K | -5% | 6,920 |
| South Carolina | $63K | -5% | 480 |
| Nebraska | $62K | -8% | 290 |
| Indiana | $62K | -8% | 460 |
| Iowa | $62K | -8% | 220 |
| Utah | $61K | -8% | 510 |
| Wyoming | $61K | -8% | 90 |
| Tennessee | $61K | -8% | 840 |
| Arkansas | $61K | -8% | 190 |
| South Dakota | $56K | -17% | 60 |
| North Dakota | $55K | -18% | 170 |
| Montana | $55K | -18% | 330 |
| Missouri | $51K | -23% | 930 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states
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 Brownsville-Harlingen numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a transportation security screener afford a 2BR apartment alone in Brownsville-Harlingen?
Yes — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 23.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,047/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for transportation security screeners in Brownsville-Harlingen?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new transportation security screeners typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,667/month. At HUD’s $1,047/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is transportation security screener a high-paying job in Brownsville-Harlingen?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $65K locally vs. $67K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Brownsville-Harlingen compare to the national average for transportation security screeners?
Brownsville-Harlingen pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do transportation security screeners make in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX?
The median is $65,170 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,110, and experienced transportation security screeners can clear $71,280. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Brownsville-Harlingen?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,519/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,047/month, which eats 23.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a transportation security screeners salary go in Brownsville-Harlingen?
Brownsville-Harlingen has a Regional Price Parity of 85.97 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median transportation security screeners salary is worth about $75,806 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.