Career
Transportation inspectors
Inspect vehicles and transportation for safety.
$92,100
Median pay
+2.2%
Job growth, 2025–35
2,300
Openings a year
High school diploma or equivalent
Typical education
None required
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Prepare and submit reports after completion of freight shipments.
- Inspect shipments to ensure that freight is securely braced and blocked.
- Record details about freight conditions, handling of freight, and any problems encountered.
- Advise crews in techniques of stowing dangerous and heavy cargo.
- Observe loading of freight to ensure that crews comply with procedures.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on information & systems, then objects & tools?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Prepare and submit reports after completion of freight shipments.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Reading Comprehension, Writing, Speaking, Critical Thinking.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
No degree beyond high school, though moderate-term on-the-job training is typical, for a median of $92,100 a year and 2,300 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- NO MATCHCIP 99.9999
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation
- Aviation Inspectors
- Construction and Building Inspectors$74,690 · +0.0%
- Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$58,170 · +9.2%
- Ship Engineers$109,530 · +2.7%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.