Transportation Security Screeners Salary
In Trenton-Princeton, NJ, transportation security screeners earn $74,400 at the median, or about $35.77 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers.
So what does $74K get you in Trenton-Princeton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Trenton-Princeton’s Regional Price Parity (103.2). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Trenton-Princeton
Trenton-Princeton sits well above the national pay line for transportation security screeners, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $67K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,950/month, which is 40.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.2) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for transportation security screeners in metros near Trenton-Princeton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $72K | , |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $67K | , |
| Pittsburgh | $65K | , |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $64K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Trenton-Princeton, NJ
Entry-level transportation security screeners (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $43K 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 Trenton-Princeton numbers change.
Related careers in Public Safety
Frequently asked questions
Can a transportation security screener afford a 2BR apartment alone in Trenton-Princeton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 40.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,950/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/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 Trenton-Princeton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new transportation security screeners typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,167/month. At HUD’s $1,950/month FMR, rent would take 90% 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 Trenton-Princeton?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $74K here vs. $67K nationally.
How does Trenton-Princeton compare to the national average for transportation security screeners?
Trenton-Princeton pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do transportation security screeners make in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?
The median is $74,400 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,120, and experienced transportation security screeners can clear $79,210. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Trenton-Princeton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,842/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,950/month, which eats 40.3% 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 Trenton-Princeton?
Trenton-Princeton has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median transportation security screeners salary is worth about $72,093 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.