Careers / Transportation Inspectors
Transportation Inspectors — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$92,100
United States, 2025
Employment
24,500
United States, 2025
Typical education
Not recorded
Job Zone 4
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
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.
- O*NET code
- 53-6051.00
- Job zone
- 4
- Experience required
- Not recorded
Typical tasks
- 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.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$40,330
25th percentile
$58,780
75th percentile
$108,890
90th percentile
$138,670
Most important skills
- Speaking3.6
- Writing3.6
- Reading Comprehension3.6
- Critical Thinking3.6
- Active Listening3.5
- Time Management3.4
- Monitoring3.4
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Coordination3.1
- Systems Evaluation3.0
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 12 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
12
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3.6 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Speaking | 3.6 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Writing | 3.6 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.6 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Active Listening | 3.5 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Monitoring | 3.4 | 3.4 | Not selected | 3.4 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Time Management | 3.4 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Coordination | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
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Compare with Transportation InspectorsSupplemental
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Compare with Transportation InspectorsSupplemental
National median not published
Compare with Transportation InspectorsSupplemental
National median $58,870
Compare with Transportation InspectorsSupplemental
National median $107,230
Compare with Transportation InspectorsHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis, MN | $140,880 | 180 | 2025 |
| Anchorage, AK | $131,060 | 110 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $129,480 | 270 | 2025 |
| Orlando, FL | $126,710 | 290 | 2025 |
| Dallas, TX | $126,010 | 890 | 2025 |
| AK | $123,120 | 170 | 2025 |
| Denver, CO | $121,410 | 280 | 2025 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $120,000 | 120 | 2025 |
| IA | $116,850 | 60 | 2025 |
| Memphis, TN | $115,920 | 70 | 2025 |
| Columbia, SC | $115,210 | 40 | 2025 |
| OK | $111,070 | 470 | 2025 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $109,990 | 160 | 2025 |
| HI | $108,270 | 150 | 2025 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $108,270 | 130 | 2025 |
| AL | $108,140 | 670 | 2025 |
| Portland, OR | $107,840 | 160 | 2025 |
| Longview, TX | $107,670 | 30 | 2025 |
| Atlanta, GA | $107,640 | 480 | 2025 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $107,330 | 80 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Transportation Inspectors to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.