Transportation Security Screeners
Also called: Security Screener, Transportation Security Officer (TSO)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.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 11 of its 26 tasks, and jobs are projected to shrink 4.2% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 1.1% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 4.3 hires for every 10 job openings in government, which employs about 94% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.4.3 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $63,770 | $61,710 to $67,890 | 260 |
| Alaska | $71,390 | $59,340 to $76,000 | 440 |
| Arizona | $64,330 | $52,250 to $69,240 | 1,380 |
| Arkansas | $61,110 | $49,940 to $65,170 | 190 |
| California | $73,610 | $58,240 to $78,350 | 5,410 |
| Colorado | $71,530 | $58,530 to $73,920 | 1,250 |
| Florida | $63,130 | $49,940 to $67,250 | 6,920 |
| Georgia | $66,770 | $52,830 to $71,070 | 1,850 |
| Guam | $63,130 | $54,950 to $67,200 | 280 |
| Hawaii | $70,160 | $65,920 to $72,510 | 1,010 |
| Idaho | $63,130 | $45,640 to $65,170 | 250 |
| Illinois | $70,570 | $63,130 to $75,130 | 1,970 |
| Indiana | $61,670 | $49,940 to $65,790 | 460 |
| Iowa | $61,590 | $46,010 to $65,710 | 220 |
| Kansas | $63,130 | $61,110 to $67,200 | 120 |
| Kentucky | $63,130 | $49,940 to $65,770 | 510 |
| Louisiana | $63,130 | $61,110 to $67,200 | 460 |
| Maine | $63,130 | $56,580 to $71,510 | 160 |
| Maryland | $72,240 | $69,910 to $76,900 | 570 |
| Massachusetts | $73,510 | $62,030 to $78,670 | 1,380 |
| Michigan | $67,390 | $55,100 to $71,880 | 1,070 |
| Minnesota | $67,290 | $54,450 to $73,280 | 740 |
| Mississippi | $63,130 | $61,110 to $67,200 | 170 |
| Missouri | $51,210 | $40,850 to $66,830 | 930 |
| Montana | $54,770 | $45,640 to $63,130 | 330 |
| Nebraska | $61,710 | $46,090 to $63,770 | 290 |
| Nevada | $64,500 | $62,420 to $68,660 | 1,350 |
| New Hampshire | $76,130 | $71,510 to $76,130 | 80 |
| New Jersey | $74,400 | $72,010 to $79,210 | 1,200 |
| New Mexico | $63,810 | $50,480 to $65,870 | 200 |
| New York | $72,010 | $47,530 to $74,400 | 4,240 |
| North Carolina | $64,540 | $52,170 to $68,060 | 1,300 |
| North Dakota | $54,950 | $50,210 to $65,170 | 170 |
| Ohio | $65,870 | $52,170 to $70,140 | 690 |
| Pennsylvania | $67,330 | $55,040 to $69,580 | 1,460 |
| Puerto Rico | $63,130 | $40,330 to $67,200 | 610 |
| Rhode Island | $71,510 | $69,200 to $76,130 | 160 |
| South Carolina | $63,130 | $61,110 to $67,200 | 480 |
| South Dakota | $55,530 | $45,640 to $63,130 | 60 |
| Tennessee | $61,110 | $49,940 to $65,170 | 840 |
| Texas | $68,640 | $62,820 to $73,070 | 4,300 |
| Utah | $61,110 | $52,460 to $67,200 | 510 |
| Vermont | $65,460 | $53,560 to $67,640 | 80 |
| Virgin Islands | $65,170 | $61,110 to $67,200 | 90 |
| Virginia | $69,910 | $57,160 to $72,240 | 1,870 |
| West Virginia | $63,130 | $61,110 to $67,200 | 90 |
| Wisconsin | $63,130 | $49,590 to $67,200 | 540 |
| Wyoming | $61,110 | $49,940 to $69,240 | 90 |
Nationally: $66,770. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 11 of its 26 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Test baggage for any explosive materials, using equipment such as explosive detection machines or chemical swab systems. | Not published |
| AI + software | Notify supervisors or other appropriate personnel when security breaches occur. | Not published |
| Not much | Search carry-on or checked baggage by hand when it is suspected to contain prohibited items such as weapons. | Not published |
| Not much | 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. | Not published |
| Not much | Inspect carry-on items, using x-ray viewing equipment, to determine whether items contain objects that warrant further investigation. | Not published |
| Not much | 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. | Not published |
See all 26 tasks
| AI + software | Contact leads or supervisors to discuss objects of concern that are not on prohibited object lists. | Not published |
| Not much | Inspect checked baggage for signs of tampering. | Not published |
| Not much | Send checked baggage through automated screening machines, and set bags aside for searching or rescreening as indicated by equipment. | Not published |
| Not much | Challenge suspicious people, requesting their badges and asking what their business is in a particular areas. | Not published |
| AI + software | Ask passengers to remove shoes and divest themselves of metal objects prior to walking through metal detectors. | Not published |
| Not much | Follow those who breach security until police or other security personnel arrive to apprehend them. | Not published |
| AI + software | Inform other screeners when baggage should not be opened because it might contain explosives. | Not published |
| AI + software | Record information about any baggage that sets off alarms in monitoring equipment. | Not published |
| AI + software | Patrol work areas to detect any suspicious items. | Not published |
| Not much | Close entry areas following security breaches or reopen areas after receiving notification that the airport is secure. | Not published |
| Not much | Confiscate dangerous items and hazardous materials found in opened bags and turn them over to airlines for disposal. | Not published |
| AI alone | Decide whether baggage that triggers alarms should be searched or should be allowed to pass through. | Not published |
| AI + software | Watch for potentially dangerous persons whose pictures are posted at checkpoints. | Not published |
| Not much | Contact police directly in cases of urgent security issues, using phones or two-way radios. | Not published |
| Not much | Inform passengers of how to mail prohibited items to themselves, or confiscate these items. | Not published |
| AI + software | View images of checked bags and cargo, using remote screening equipment, and alert baggage screeners or handlers to any possible problems. | Not published |
| AI + software | Provide directions and respond to passenger inquiries. | Not published |
| Not much | Monitor passenger flow through screening checkpoints to ensure order and efficiency. | Not published |
| AI + software | Direct passengers to areas where they can pick up their baggage after screening is complete. | Not published |
| Not much | Locate suspicious bags pictured in printouts sent from remote monitoring areas, and set these bags aside for inspection. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 0 of the 26 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 26 tasks fall under 11 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #5 Provide information or assistance to the public
- #12 Explain regulations, policies, or procedures
- #37 Determine operational methods or procedures
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inspect characteristics or conditions of materials or products | |||
| Maintain safety or security | |||
| Notify others of emergencies or problems | |||
| Monitor safety or security of work areas, facilities, or properties | |||
| Provide information or assistance to the public | |||
| Verify personal information | |||
| Explain regulations, policies, or procedures | |||
| Determine operational methods or procedures |
Show all 11 activities
| Communicate with others about operational plans or activities | |||
| Monitor individual behavior or performance | |||
| Record information about legal matters |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- An explanation or answer40%
- Advice or a recommendation22%
- A plan or strategy20%
- An analysis or summary5%
- A chart or visualization5%
How they worked with Claude
10% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for transportation security screeners specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 11,493 moves out
- 1 Security Guards Moderate +0.9% 9%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 6%
- 3 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 3%
- 4 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 3%
- 5 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Very high -6.0% 2%
Where people moved in from
of 11,468 moves in
- 1 Security Guards Moderate +0.9% 8%
- 2 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 7%
- 3 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 4 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 4%
- 5 Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Low +1.8% 2%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 4% less than high school
- 85% high school
- 11% some college
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 27 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 24% high school
- 26% some college
- 14% associate's
- 30% bachelor's
- 5% master's
- 1% professional degree
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 393 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeships: DOL's list of apprenticeable occupations doesn't include this one.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
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