Career Overview
Conduct screening of passengers, baggage, or cargo to ensure compliance with Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulations. May operate basic security equipment such as x-ray machines and hand wands at screening checkpoints.
Also Known As
- Security Screener
- Transportation Security Officer (TSO)
Alternate Job Titles
- Airline Security Representative
- Airport Baggage Screener
- Airport Screener
- Airport Security Screener
- Bag Checker
- Baggage Inspector
- Baggage Screener
- Baggage Security Checker
- Biometric Screener
- Flight Security Specialist
- Notification Specialist
- Passenger Screener
- Screener
- Security Inspector
- Security Officer
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Inspect carry-on items, using x-ray viewing equipment, to determine whether items contain objects that warrant further investigation.
- Search carry-on or checked baggage by hand when it is suspected to contain prohibited items such as weapons.
- Check passengers' tickets to ensure that they are valid, and to determine whether passengers have designations that require special handling, such as providing photo identification.
- Test baggage for any explosive materials, using equipment such as explosive detection machines or chemical swab systems.
- Perform pat-down or hand-held wand searches of passengers who have triggered machine alarms, who are unable to pass through metal detectors, or who have been randomly identified for such searches.
- Notify supervisors or other appropriate personnel when security breaches occur.
- Send checked baggage through automated screening machines, and set bags aside for searching or rescreening as indicated by equipment.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Public Safety and Security
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Problem Sensitivity
- Selective Attention
- Oral Comprehension
- Flexibility of Closure
- Oral Expression
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Speech Recognition
- Near Vision
- Speech Clarity
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Integrity
- Self-Control
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Support
- Relationships
- Recognition
- Independence
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Linux
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Word
- Oracle Java
- Slack
Tools & Equipment
- Backscatter imaging units
- Black lights
- Body imaging scanners
- CastScope machines
- Chemical detection testing kits
- Desktop computers
- Explosive detection systems
- Explosive trace portals
- Handheld metal detectors
- Laptop computers
- Magnifying loupes
- Millimeter wave imaging units
- Mobile radios
- Multi-line telephone systems
- Personal computers
Work Environment
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Contact With Others
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $45,010 |
| Median | $63,360 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $75,940 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 46,340
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Security Guards
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $38,370
Transit and Railroad Police
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $82,320
Flight Attendants
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $67,130
Baggage Porters and Bellhops
Education: Less than a High School Diploma
Median Salary: $36,020
Airfield Operations Specialists
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $56,750
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.