Transportation Inspectors: Career Overview
Inspect equipment or goods in connection with the safe transport of cargo or people. Includes rail transportation inspectors, such as freight inspectors, rail inspectors, and other inspectors of transportation vehicles not elsewhere classified.
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What Tasks Do Transportation Inspectors Perform?
Typical responsibilities of transportation inspectors span:
- Prepare and submit reports after completion of freight shipments.
- Inspect shipments to ensure that freight is securely braced and blocked.
- Record details about freight conditions, handling of freight, and any problems encountered.
- Advise crews in techniques of stowing dangerous and heavy cargo.
- Observe loading of freight to ensure that crews comply with procedures.
- Recommend remedial procedures to correct any violations found during inspections.
- Inspect loaded cargo, cargo lashed to decks or in storage facilities, and cargo handling devices to determine compliance with health and safety regulations and need for maintenance.
- Notify workers of any special treatment required for shipments.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful transportation inspectors combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Admeasurer
- Bridge Inspector
- Cargo Inspector
- Cargo Surveyor
- Container Inspector
- Damaged Freight Inspector
- Equipment Inspector
- Freight Car Inspector
How Many Transportation Inspectors Are There?
There are roughly 754,294 transportation inspectors working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +14.5% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Transportation Inspectors Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $41,904 |
| Hourly median | $20.15 |
| 10th percentile | $25,440 |
| 25th percentile | $33,672 |
| 75th percentile | $50,135 |
| 90th percentile | $58,367 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Transportation Inspectors Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $138,030 |
| Idaho | $107,440 |
| Hawaii | $105,650 |
| Oklahoma | $104,490 |
| North Dakota | $104,330 |
| District of Columbia | $103,970 |
| Kansas | $103,810 |
| Wisconsin | $100,310 |
| Georgia | $98,150 |
| Nevada | $97,880 |
| Washington | $97,360 |
| Maryland | $95,420 |
| Iowa | $94,990 |
| Massachusetts | $92,870 |
| Colorado | $91,660 |
| New York | $91,150 |
| Florida | $86,770 |
| Oregon | $85,450 |
| Delaware | $85,310 |
| Texas | $84,180 |
| Arkansas | $83,560 |
| Nebraska | $82,720 |
| Kentucky | $82,460 |
| Michigan | $81,470 |
| Connecticut | $80,130 |
| Ohio | $79,860 |
| Louisiana | $79,280 |
| South Carolina | $79,040 |
| Indiana | $78,100 |
| South Dakota | $76,960 |
| Mississippi | $76,820 |
| California | $75,590 |
| North Carolina | $75,570 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,420 |
| Tennessee | $74,450 |
| Virginia | $73,070 |
| Alabama | $70,550 |
| New Mexico | $63,730 |
| Utah | $62,960 |
| Missouri | $62,950 |
| Illinois | $57,590 |
| Maine | $55,220 |
| New Jersey | $54,860 |
| West Virginia | $50,770 |
| Puerto Rico | $49,880 |
| Montana | $49,010 |
| Arizona | $45,950 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for transportation inspectors shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $86,433 | 13.8% | 1.02 |
| New England | $84,306 | 3.7% | 0.94 |
| Middle Atlantic | $84,005 | 24.3% | 2.13 |
| Southeast | $83,321 | 21.4% | 0.94 |
| Plains States | $82,798 | 4.3% | 0.91 |
| Southwest | $75,852 | 18.2% | 1.46 |
| Rocky Mountains | $75,797 | 4.4% | 1.44 |
| Great Lakes | $70,630 | 9.5% | 0.76 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City, OK | OK | $134,410 | 90 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | FL | $125,040 | 260 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | GA | $123,780 | 370 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | OH | $122,920 | 120 |
| Wichita, KS | KS | $120,640 | 50 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $119,640 | 240 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $118,790 | 290 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | MI | $117,830 | 150 |
Top Industries Employing Transportation Inspectors
Most transportation inspectors are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 7,520 | $79,860 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,800 | $40,830 |
| Manufacturing | 1,410 | $81,920 |
| Wholesale Trade | 640 | $45,960 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 350 | $76,780 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 310 | $66,560 |
| Retail Trade | 190 | $41,200 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 70 | $84,460 |
Below are examples of industries where transportation inspectors work:
Software Transportation Inspectors Use
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Google Android (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for transportation inspectors tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Contact With Others
Getting Started in This Career
This career aligns with Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (Supplemental)
- Government Property Inspectors and Investigators (Supplemental)
- Marine Engineers and Naval Architects (Supplemental)
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists (Supplemental)
- Cargo and Freight Agents (Primary-Long)
- Freight Forwarders (Supplemental)
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks (Supplemental)
- Agricultural Inspectors (Supplemental)
Sources
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 53-6051.00 (Transportation Inspectors).
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