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Transportation Security Officer Tsa Jobs (NOW HIRING)

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How much do transportation security officer tsa jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 3, 2026, the average yearly pay for transportation security officer tsa in the United States is $50,381.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $43,500.00 and $54,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Transportation Security Officer (TSA), and why are they important?

To thrive as a Transportation Security Officer (TSA), you need attention to detail, strong observational skills, and the ability to follow strict security protocols, typically supported by a high school diploma or equivalent. Familiarity with X-ray machines, metal detectors, explosive trace detection equipment, and security screening procedures is essential. Exceptional interpersonal skills, professionalism, and the ability to remain calm under pressure help TSOs provide effective security while interacting with the public. These skills are crucial for maintaining passenger safety, ensuring compliance with federal regulations, and delivering a positive travel experience.

How much does a TSO make per hour?

A Transportation Security Officer (TSO) typically earns around $15 to $20 per hour, depending on experience, location, and shift differentials. The role involves screening passengers and baggage at security checkpoints, often requiring certification and adherence to federal security standards.

Is it hard to get hired as a TSA officer?

Becoming a Transportation Security Officer (TSO) involves a competitive application process that includes background checks, a structured interview, and passing a physical and medical exam. Candidates should also complete TSA training and meet specific eligibility requirements, making the hiring process somewhat selective but manageable with proper preparation.

What is the difference between Transportation Security Officer Tsa vs Customs Border Protection Officer?

AspectTransportation Security Officer TsaCustoms Border Protection Officer
Required CredentialsHigh school diploma or equivalent; TSA certificationHigh school diploma or equivalent; CBP training and background check
Work EnvironmentAirports, security checkpointsBorder crossings, ports, airports
Employer & IndustryTransportation Security Administration, Transportation industryU.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security

Transportation Security Officers (TSAs) primarily work at airports screening passengers and luggage for security threats, while Customs Border Protection Officers focus on inspecting travelers and goods crossing U.S. borders. Both roles require similar credentials and operate within security and transportation sectors, but their specific duties and work environments differ significantly.

Are TSA workers going to get a $10,000 bonus?

There are no publicly announced plans for a $10,000 bonus specifically for Transportation Security Officers (TSOs). Bonuses and incentives for TSA employees are determined by federal agencies and may vary based on budget, performance, and policy changes, but such a large bonus has not been confirmed. TSOs typically receive regular pay, benefits, and potential overtime pay, but large bonuses are uncommon in this role.

What are Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) at TSA?

Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) are security professionals employed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) who screen passengers, baggage, and cargo at airports and other transportation hubs. Their primary responsibility is to ensure the safety and security of travelers by detecting and preventing prohibited items, such as weapons or explosives, from being brought onto aircraft. TSOs use a variety of screening methods, including X-ray machines, pat-downs, and explosive trace detection equipment. They also assist passengers through the security process and enforce TSA regulations. Working as a TSO requires attention to detail, good communication skills, and the ability to handle stressful situations.

What is a TSA transportation security officer?

A Transportation Security Officer (TSO) is responsible for screening passengers and baggage at security checkpoints in airports to ensure safety and security. They operate screening equipment, follow security procedures, and may be required to hold certification or training in security protocols. The role involves working in a fast-paced environment often requiring attention to detail and good communication skills.

What are some common challenges Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) face during daily screening operations?

Transportation Security Officers often encounter challenges such as managing high passenger volumes, maintaining focus during repetitive tasks, and handling difficult or stressful interactions with travelers. TSOs must remain vigilant to ensure the safety and security of the traveling public while adhering to strict protocols and procedures. Additionally, they work in fast-paced environments where teamwork and clear communication with colleagues and supervisors are crucial for efficient operations and resolving security concerns.
More about Transportation Security Officer Tsa jobs
What cities are hiring for Transportation Security Officer Tsa jobs? Cities with the most Transportation Security Officer Tsa job openings:
What states have the most Transportation Security Officer Tsa jobs? States with the most job openings for Transportation Security Officer Tsa jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Transportation Security Officer Tsa jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Transportation Security Officer Tsa jobs are:
Infographic showing various Transportation Security Officer Tsa job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 97% Full Time, and 3% Part Time. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $50,381 per year, or $24.2 per hour.

Transportation Security Officer

Transportation Security Administration

Tampa, FL • On-site, Remote

$40K - $56K/yr

Part-time

Re-posted 11 days ago


Transportation Security Administration rating

7.6

Company rating: 7.6 out of 10

Based on 240 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

125th of 288 rated public sector bodies


Job description

Summary
Transportation Security Officers are responsible for providing security and protection of travelers across all transportation sectors in a courteous and professional manner. Their duties may also extend to securing high-profile events, important figures and/or anything that includes or impacts our transportation systems.
Learn more about this agency
Duties
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Salary Information: The salary range for Tampa, FL (TPA - Tampa International Airport) is $40,736 to $56,844 or $19.52 to $27.24 per hour and includes locality pay of 17.06%.
This Transportation Security Officer position is located in Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security (DHS). As a Transportation Security Officer (TSOs) within Security Operations (SO), you will provide security and protection of air travelers, airports and aircraft in a courteous and professional manner. Duties may include but are not limited to:
  • Operating various screening equipment and technology to identify dangerous objects in baggage, cargo and on passengers, and preventing those objects from being transported onto aircraft.
  • Performing searches and screening, which may include physical interaction with passengers (e.g., pat-downs, search of property, etc.), conducting bag searches and lifting/carrying bags, bins, and property weighing up to 50lbs.
  • Controlling terminal entry and exit points.
  • Interacting with the public, giving directions and responding to inquiries.
  • Maintaining focus and awareness while working in a stressful environment which includes noise from alarms, machinery and people, crowd distractions, time pressure, and disruptive and angry passengers, in order to preserve the professional ability to identify and locate potentially life threatening or mass destruction devices, and to make effective decisions in both crisis and routine situations.
  • Engaging in continuous development of critical thinking skills, necessary to mitigate actual and potential security threats, by identifying, evaluating, and applying appropriate situational options and approaches. This may include application of risk-based security screening protocols that vary based on program requirements.
  • Retaining and implementing knowledge of all applicable Standard Operating Procedures, demonstrating responsible and dependable behavior, and is open to change and adapts to new information or unexpected obstacles.

Realistic Job Preview: The Realistic Job Preview gives you an honest, objective and vivid portrait of what it means to work as a Transportation Security Officer (TSO) and provides employee testimonies about both the good and the challenging aspects of being a TSO. To view the video, please Click Here.
If a sufficient number of applications are received, the announcement may close before the published closing date.
NOTE
: Employees occupying frontline positions, i.e., individuals occupying positions that involve contact with the traveling public on a regular and recurring basis, may be required to wear TSA approved and issued personal protective equipment (PPE). PPE includes TSA issued surgical masks, face shields, and nitrile gloves. At TSA, the health and safety of our employees is a top priority.
TSA GOLD +
The TSA Gold+ program is an innovative extension of the Screening Partnership Program, designed to modernize and elevate security screening standards through advanced technology integration, enhanced operational practices, and an improved passenger experience. Under the TSA Gold+ framework, airport sites will be optimized for efficiency, security, and customer service, providing a model for nationwide modernization and setting the benchmark for future screening operations across the country. When Tampa International Airport (TPA) transitions to the TSA Gold+ program, employees may be offered the opportunity to transfer to another TSA federalized airport to maintain federal employment or may opt to pursue continued employment at Tampa International Airport (TPA) with the future TSA Gold+ vendor and will receive a job offer to do so.
NOTE: Upon transition to the Gold+ Program, candidates that remain in the TSA hiring process at this location may direct questions regarding future job opportunities to the selected Gold+ vendor.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment
Conditions of Employment
  1. You must possess U.S. Citizenship or be a U.S. National.
  2. You must have reached the minimum age (18) at the time of application.
  3. Selective Service registration is required.
  4. Must pass a structured interview, drug screening, medical evaluation, and background investigation
  5. Subject to post-employment random drug and/or alcohol testing
  6. Must be available to work various shifts and overtime, as needed.
  7. Must be proficient in English (e.g., reading, writing, speaking, comprehending).
  8. Mandatory travel for training and occasional travel may be required
  9. Exposure to potentially lethal devices and dangerous chemicals is inherent in this position.

Physical Demands: Must meet and maintain physical requirements (including an assessment of physical abilities) including, but not limited to, the following:
  • Maintain physical agility to ensure ability to squat and bend.
  • Ability to repeatedly lift and manipulate baggage, containers, weighing approximately 50 pounds and other objects subject to security processing.
  • Ability to walk up to three (3) miles during a shift and stand for prolonged periods (up to 4 hours) of time.

The requirements above must be met at the time of application submission. Additional requirements can be found in the Qualifications section.
If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing any of the scheduled appointments, the hiring agency may rescind their tentative offer of employment.
If you are entering TSA employment on an appointment without time limitations, you must serve a basic trial period unless you have already met the requirement.
Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for TSA to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.
Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.
Qualifications
To qualify for the SV-D pay band (equivalent to the GS-5/6), you must meet one of the qualification requirements (A OR B) outlined below:
A. Experience: At least one year of full-time work experience in the security Industry, aviation screening, or as an X-ray technician.
OR
B. Education: Have a high school diploma, General Educational Development (GED), High School Equivalency Test (HiSET), or Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) high school equivalency certificate.
Credit for experience is given based on a 40-hour workweek. Part-time experience is credited on a part-time ratio, i.e., working 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience. No additional credit is given for overtime.
National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.
Additional requirements:
Occasional Travel Required: A minimum of three (3) weeks of travel in a full-time duty status may be required to complete TSA's New Hire training. New Hire training and travel requirements vary by duty location and may require up to six (6) weeks of full-time duty status travel. This training will occur away from the employee's airport of record. Employees will be paid for compensable hours and reimbursed for authorized travel expenses per TSA Travel Policy. While employed with TSA, other occasional travel may be required.
Selective Service Registration Requirement: TSA policy requires verification of Selective Service registration for male applicants born after 12/31/59. To find out if you initially meet the Selective Service registration requirement for TSA employment, please Click Here.
Credit Check: Applicants must not have delinquent Federal or State taxes, or past due child support payments.
Residency Requirement: To ensure adequate background investigative coverage, applicants are required to have resided within the United States for three of the last five years immediately prior to applying for this position. For those applicants who do not meet this residency requirement, an exception may be granted under the following circumstances - (1) applicant worked for U.S. Government in foreign countries in federal civilian or military capacities; (2) applicant was or is a dependent accompanying a federal civilian or military employee serving in foreign countries; (3) applicant who studied abroad at a U.S. affiliated college or university; or (4) applicant who has a current and adequate federal background investigation completed for a federal or Government contractor position.
Reemployed Annuitants: Since the TSO position is permanent, it does not meet the eligibility requirement for a salary offset waiver under the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2010. Therefore, former Federal or Postal Service employees who are receiving a civilian retirement annuity may have their salary reduced by the amount of their pension, which could result in a biweekly net pay as low as zero dollars ($0.00) or a debt owed to the Federal Government.
TSO Dress and Appearance Responsibilities: TSOs must adhere to the current Master Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). For example, with the exception of half-inch diameter stud-style earrings, non-protruding ear gauges or spacers that match your skin and do not exceed one half-inch diameter, inconspicuous nose or tongue piercings that match your skin or tongue, body piercings may not be visible to the public. The CBA dictates if you have a tattoo that would be visible beyond the standard TSO uniform in areas such as the head and face including a partial tattoo that extends more than one inch beyond the upper neck or behind the ear, it could potentially render you ineligible for the position unless it was able to be covered at all times and not visible to the general public. Additionally, tattoos that are indecent, commonly associated with gangs, extremists, and/or supremacist organizations or that advocate sexual, racial, or religious discrimination, or have a negative impact on TSA's ability to carry out its mission must be covered at all times.
Work Schedules for Full-time Positions: Specific work shifts and schedules will be determined by the airport.
  • Full-time positions require 40 hours per week;
  • Full-time work consists of shift-work on any day from Sunday through Saturday, which may include irregular hours, nights, holidays, overtime, extended shifts and weekend shifts, changing shifts, and split shifts.
  • A "split-shift" consists of any two work shifts, each lasting at least two (2) hours in one 24-hour period, with at least two (2) hours between work shifts.

Work Schedules for Part-time Positions: Specific work shifts and schedules will be determined by the airport.
  • Part-time shifts generally range from 16-32 hours per week
  • Part-time work consists of shift-work on any day from Sunday through Saturday, which may include irregular hours, nights, holidays, overtime, extended shifts and weekend shifts, changing shifts, and split shifts
  • A "split-shift" consists of any two work shifts, each lasting at least two (2) hours in one 24-hour period, with at least two (2) hours between work shifts

Maintaining Employment: All TSOs must maintain the standard level of certification and fitness for duty, to include:
  • Completing classroom training, on-the-job training, and all initial certification testing
  • Recurrent and specialized training and recertification tests on a periodic basis
  • Passing background investigations, including a criminal check and credit check, and all randomly administered drug and alcohol screening tests.

No moving, relocation or pre-employment travel expenses will be paid for this position, or while in application for this position. This position is not a law enforcement position and therefore, is not covered by Law Enforcement Availability Pay or Law Enforcement Retirement. Per the President's 2014 Fair Employment memo, TSA policy is to not adversely consider a candidate based on unemployment or financial difficulty through no fault of their own.
TSA is an excepted service agency. Employment with TSA does not confer the "Competitive Status" that generally results from selection and service in Competitive Service agencies. However, permanent employees who have at least one year of continuous service with TSA will be eligible to apply for positions in other Federal agencies under the OPM-DHS Interchange Agreement.
Bargaining Unit Status: This position is in the bargaining unit for which the Ameri

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