Transportation Security Screeners pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,070 a year or less, while the top 10% make $79,100 or more. The middle half of transportation security screeners in San Diego earn between $57,050 and $76,770.
- $46K10th
- $57K25th
- $72KMedian
- $77K75th
- $79K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $67,860 | $5,655 | $32.62 |
| Median | $72,130 | $6,011 | $34.68 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $57,050 | $4,754 | $27.43 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $76,770 | $6,398 | $36.91 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Transportation Security Screeners pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Transportation security screeners in San Diego earn about the same as the California average ($68,660) and 6% more than the U.S. average ($64,310). At the median the gap is +8% against the U.S. median of $66,770.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $67,860 | $72,130 | $46,070 | $79,100 | 690 |
| California | $68,660 | $73,610 | $46,070 | $81,470 | 5,410 |
| United States | $64,310 | $66,770 | $44,700 | $78,350 | 50,290 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Transportation Security Screeners salary after taxes in San Diego
On the average salary of $67,860, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $54,213 a year, or $4,518 a month and $2,085 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Diego a good place for transportation security screeners? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Diego area are 12% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.9), so the average $67,860 buys what about $60,650 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 13.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Transportation Security Screeners salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 5th of 10 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($76,000).
- San Jose$76,000
- Salinas$73,510
- San Francisco$72,240
- Los Angeles$70,000
- San Diego$67,860
- Sacramento$66,180
- Santa Maria$66,030
- Riverside$65,980
- San Luis Obispo$64,520
- Fresno$58,180
All Transportation Security Screeners salaries in California
Highest-paying cities for transportation security screeners
Allentown, PA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($78,620).
- Allentown, PA$78,620
- Manchester, NH$76,200
- San Jose, CA$76,000
- Flint, MI$74,170
- Salinas, CA$73,510
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Transportation Security Screeners salary in San Diego: questions
How much do transportation security screeners make an hour in San Diego?
$32.62 an hour on average, and $34.68 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level transportation security screeners salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,070 a year and the 25th percentile is $57,050, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the transportation security screeners take-home pay in San Diego?
About $54,213 a year ($4,518 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $67,860. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do transportation security screeners earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% more than the U.S. average for this job ($64,310).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 33-9093; area San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.6%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.39, this job is 1.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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