Transportation Security Screeners Salary
In Cedar Rapids, IA, transportation security screeners earn $61,110 at the median, or about $29.38 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $67K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.96), which stretches that salary to about $68,694 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $956/month, or 23.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $61K actually covers in Cedar Rapids, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cedar Rapids’s Regional Price Parity (88.96). 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 Cedar Rapids
Transportation security screeners pay in Cedar Rapids tracks closely to the national median, $61K locally vs. $67K nationwide, a 8% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $956/month, 23.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.96 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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 Cedar Rapids, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $62K | $67K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $64K | $72K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $71K | $68K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $69K | $66K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cedar Rapids, IA
Entry-level transportation security screeners (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $67K 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 annually. We'll email you when Cedar Rapids numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a transportation security screener afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cedar Rapids?
Yes — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 23.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $956/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for transportation security screeners in Cedar Rapids?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new transportation security screeners typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,045/month. At HUD’s $956/month FMR, rent would take 31% 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 Cedar Rapids?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $61K locally vs. $67K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Cedar Rapids compare to the national average for transportation security screeners?
Cedar Rapids pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do transportation security screeners make in Cedar Rapids, IA?
The median is $61,110 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,640, and experienced transportation security screeners can clear $67,200. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Cedar Rapids?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,007/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $956/month, which eats 23.9% 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 Cedar Rapids?
Cedar Rapids has a Regional Price Parity of 88.96 (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 $68,694 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.