Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$40,330
- 25th Percentile — Junior$58,780
- 50th Percentile — Median$92,100
- 75th Percentile — Senior$108,890
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$138,670
The top 10% of Transportation Inspectors earn $138,670 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $40,330, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $122,000 | +37.8% |
| Washington | $114,460 | +29.3% |
| Iowa | $113,620 | +28.3% |
| Oklahoma | $113,280 | +27.9% |
| District of Columbia | $106,370 | +20.1% |
| Hawaii | $104,440 | +18.0% |
| North Dakota | $104,020 | +17.5% |
| Maryland | $102,860 | +16.2% |
| Rhode Island (est.) | $101,821 | +15.0% |
| Texas | $101,160 | +14.3% |
| New Hampshire (est.) | $100,936 | +14.0% |
| Florida | $100,840 | +13.9% |
| Alabama | $100,700 | +13.7% |
| Pennsylvania | $97,150 | +9.7% |
| Connecticut | $96,300 | +8.8% |
| Vermont (est.) | $95,623 | +8.0% |
| Delaware (est.) | $92,967 | +5.0% |
| Georgia | $92,300 | +4.2% |
| New York | $91,220 | +3.0% |
| Oregon | $90,390 | +2.1% |
| Colorado | $90,010 | +1.7% |
| Minnesota | $89,890 | +1.5% |
| Ohio | $88,950 | +0.5% |
| Wisconsin | $88,820 | +0.3% |
| California | $88,500 | +0.0% |
| North Carolina | $88,120 | -0.5% |
| Kansas | $87,200 | -1.5% |
| Kentucky | $85,350 | -3.6% |
| Idaho | $84,980 | -4.0% |
| South Carolina | $84,170 | -4.9% |
| Maine | $83,920 | -5.2% |
| Virginia | $83,420 | -5.8% |
| Indiana | $83,380 | -5.8% |
| Wyoming (est.) | $82,342 | -7.0% |
| Missouri | $81,340 | -8.1% |
| Louisiana | $81,140 | -8.4% |
| Arkansas | $80,870 | -8.7% |
| Tennessee | $78,420 | -11.4% |
| Utah | $78,150 | -11.7% |
| Nebraska (est.) | $77,915 | -12.0% |
| Massachusetts | $77,420 | -12.6% |
| South Dakota | $77,050 | -13.0% |
| Montana | $75,830 | -14.4% |
| West Virginia | $74,120 | -16.3% |
| Arizona | $73,380 | -17.1% |
| Mississippi (est.) | $70,832 | -20.0% |
| Nevada | $70,360 | -20.5% |
| Illinois | $69,780 | -21.2% |
| New Mexico | $69,420 | -21.6% |
| New Jersey | $65,330 | -26.2% |
| Michigan | $65,260 | -26.3% |
What Factors Affect Transportation Inspectors Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Transportation Inspectors is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Alaska pays an average of $122,000, while Michigan pays $65,260 — a gap of $56,740 per year.
The middle half of Transportation Inspectors earn between $58,780 and $108,890 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $40,330, while the top 10% earn more than $138,670.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $59,710/yr United States 32.6% vs this role
- Airline Pilots Copilots and Flight Engineers $288,650/yr United States +226.0% vs this role
- Commercial Pilots $146,080/yr United States +65.0% vs this role
- Air Traffic Controllers $146,490/yr United States +65.5% vs this role
- Light Truck Drivers $48,770/yr United States 44.9% vs this role
- Driver Sales Workers $40,730/yr United States 54.0% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +14.5% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +55.1% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Transportation Inspectors?
The average salary for Transportation Inspectors in the United States is $88,540 per year, with a median of $92,100.
What is the starting salary for Transportation Inspectors?
Entry-level Transportation Inspectors typically earn between $40,330 and $58,780 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Transportation Inspectors the most?
Alaska pays Transportation Inspectors the most at $122,000 per year on average, followed by Washington ($114,460) and Iowa ($113,620).
How much do Transportation Inspectors make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $88,540, Transportation Inspectors earn approximately $42.57 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Transportation Inspectors a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 24,500 Transportation Inspectors jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $88,540 and a median of $92,100 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
Related Salary Pages
Explore more salary data