Transportation Security Screeners Salary
In Lafayette, LA, transportation security screeners earn $63,130 at the median, or about $30.35 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.21), which stretches that salary to about $72,388 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,019/month, or 24.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $63K get you in Lafayette?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lafayette’s Regional Price Parity (87.21). 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 Lafayette
Transportation security screeners pay in Lafayette tracks closely to the national median, $63K locally vs. $67K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,019/month, 24.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.21 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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 Lafayette, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $61K | $66K |
| Baton Rouge | $65K | $72K |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $66K | $78K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $69K | $67K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lafayette, LA
Entry-level transportation security screeners (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $31K 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 Lafayette numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a transportation security screener afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lafayette?
Yes — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 24.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,019/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for transportation security screeners in Lafayette?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new transportation security screeners typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,632/month. At HUD’s $1,019/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Lafayette?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $63K locally vs. $67K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Lafayette compare to the national average for transportation security screeners?
Lafayette pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do transportation security screeners make in Lafayette, LA?
The median is $63,130 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,870, and experienced transportation security screeners can clear $75,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Lafayette?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,222/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,019/month, which eats 24.1% 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 Lafayette?
Lafayette has a Regional Price Parity of 87.21 (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 $72,388 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.