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Marine surveyor (transportation inspector): pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$92,100median pay per year, or $44.28 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $40,330lowest 10% earn less
  2. $58,78025th percentile
  3. $92,100median
  4. $108,89075th percentile
  5. $138,670top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[5]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

Transportation inspectors had a median pay of $92,100 a year, well above the median for all occupations[1][2]. Jobs are projected to grow a bit slower than all occupations[3][4].

Job growth, 2025–35
+2.2%[3]
Openings per year
2,300[6]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[7]

How much do marine surveyors and transportation inspectors make?

O*NET lists marine surveyor as a job title in the category BLS calls Transportation Inspectors[8]. In May 2025, the median wage for the category was $92,100 a year, or $44.28 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The mean (average) wage was $88,540 a year, or $42.57 an hour[9].

The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $40,330 a year, and the 90th percentile was $138,670[5]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[10]. The middle half of workers sat between $58,780 and $108,890 a year[5].

Measure Annual Hourly
10th percentile[5][11] $40,330 $19.39
25th percentile[5][11] $58,780 $28.26
Median[1] $92,100 $44.28
75th percentile[5][11] $108,890 $52.35
90th percentile[5][11] $138,670 $66.67

For comparison, the median for all occupations in the US was $50,980 a year[2]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits[12].

Pay by state and city

Pay depends a lot on where you work. Alaska had the highest state median at $123,120, followed by Iowa at $116,850 and Oklahoma at $111,070[13]. Michigan had the lowest published state median at $35,890[13].

The most jobs were in New York (3,720), Texas (2,290), California (1,790), Florida (1,630) and Illinois (1,130)[14].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs[15], Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington had the highest median at $140,880[15]. Anchorage came next at $131,060, then Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue at $129,480[15]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs, at 4,000, with a median of $93,420[16]. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington had 890 jobs and a median of $126,010[16].

Show median pay in 43 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Alaska[13]$123,120170
Iowa$116,85060
Oklahoma$111,070470
Hawaii$108,270150
Alabama$108,140670
North Dakota$106,33060
Washington$104,250490
Kansas$103,380210
Florida$101,4701,630
Texas$101,4402,290
Maryland$100,700250
Georgia$95,030880
New York$93,4203,720
Minnesota$92,860310
Connecticut$91,520330
District of Columbia$89,960150
Arkansas$85,130120
North Carolina$84,470380
Kentucky$83,970260
California$83,0001,790
Colorado$81,820460
Pennsylvania$81,550340
South Carolina$80,490440
Indiana$80,330250
Massachusetts$79,650n/a
Tennessee$78,430420
Oregon$78,110250
Louisiana$77,460130
Ohio$77,010430
Wisconsin$75,260120
South Dakota$70,080100
Virginia$68,610330
Missouri$64,690380
Utah$64,480210
Maine$63,75090
New Mexico$63,690230
Montana$62,810180
Arizona$62,250830
West Virginia$58,67090
Idaho$54,330170
Nevada$50,060430
New Jersey$49,250930
Illinois$47,9901,130
Michigan$35,890540

How to become a marine surveyor or transportation inspector

BLS describes the typical path in three parts[7]:

O*NET places the occupation in Job Zone Four, which it describes as needing considerable preparation[17]. The facts here do not give a length of training, a license or an exam, so check local employers and any rules that apply in your state.

What transportation inspectors do

O*NET describes the work as inspecting equipment or goods tied to the safe transport of cargo or people[18]. Job titles that workers reported include cargo surveyor, marine surveyor and petroleum inspector[8]. Typical tasks include:

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 2.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 25,100 to 25,600 jobs[3]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same years[4]. These projection counts include self-employed workers, who were 0.2% of the total in 2025[3][20]. The OEWS count for May 2025 was about 24,500 wage and salary jobs[21].

BLS projects about 2,300 openings a year, on average[6]. Openings come from workers who leave as well as from new jobs[6]. Each year, 3.9% of workers leave the labor force and 5% move to a different occupation[22].

Is it a good fit?

The pay is high compared with all occupations, and the typical entry path starts with a high school diploma and on-the-job training[1][2][7]. Employment is projected to grow a bit slower than all occupations[3][4]. Pay also swings a lot by state and metro area, so local wages matter[13][15].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[23].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a marine surveyor or transportation inspector make an hour?
The median wage for transportation inspectors was $44.28 an hour in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $19.39 and the 90th percentile was $66.67[11].
What education do you need to be a transportation inspector?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent, no related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training as the typical path[7].
Which state pays transportation inspectors the most?
Alaska had the highest median at $123,120 a year, followed by Iowa and Oklahoma[13].
Is transportation inspector a growing job?
BLS projects 2.2% growth from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[3][4]. About 2,300 openings are projected each year[6].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Transportation Inspectors in the US was $92,100 per year and $44.28 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Transportation Inspectors is projected to grow 2.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 25,100 to 25,600 jobs (a change of +600). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Transportation Inspectors: 10th percentile $40,330, 25th percentile $58,780, 75th percentile $108,890, 90th percentile $138,670. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 2,300 openings for Transportation Inspectors are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Transportation Inspectors: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  8. O*NET 53-6051.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Cargo Surveyor, Inspector, Marine Cargo Surveyor, Marine Surveyor, Petroleum Inspector. O*NET OnLine
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Transportation Inspectors was $88,540 per year and $42.57 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Transportation Inspectors: 10th percentile $19.39, 25th percentile $28.26, 75th percentile $52.35, 90th percentile $66.67. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. Median annual wage for Transportation Inspectors in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Transportation Inspectors jobs: New York 3,720; Texas 2,290; California 1,790; Florida 1,630; Illinois 1,130. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Transportation Inspectors (areas with at least 100 jobs): Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $140,880; Anchorage, AK $131,060; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $129,480; Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $126,710; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $126,010; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $121,410; Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $120,000; Oklahoma City, OK $109,990. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Transportation Inspectors jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 4,000 (median $93,420); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 890 (median $126,010); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 820 (median $100,100); Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ 690 (median $51,990); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 570 (median $55,070); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 560 (median $101,040). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. O*NET 53-6051.00: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed. A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET description of Transportation Inspectors. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET task list for Transportation Inspectors. O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: 0.2% of Transportation Inspectors were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 24,500 people were employed as Transportation Inspectors in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Transportation Inspectors: 3.9% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.