How to become a Transportation Inspector

Official title: Transportation Inspectors

Also called: Cargo Surveyor, Inspector, Marine Cargo Surveyor, Marine Surveyor, Petroleum Inspector

Inspect equipment or goods in connection with the safe transport of cargo or people. Includes rail transportation inspectors, such as freight inspectors, rail inspectors, and other inspectors of transportation vehicles not elsewhere classified.

Main tasks

• 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.
• Recommend remedial procedures to correct any violations found during inspections.
• Inspect loaded cargo, cargo lashed to decks or in storage facilities, and cargo handling devices to determine compliance with health and safety regulations and need for maintenance.
• Notify workers of any special treatment required for shipments.

How to become one

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $92,100 a year The middle half earn $58,780 to $108,890.
• About 25,100 people work in this job now, and about 25,600 are projected by 2035. (+2.2%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Related jobs

• Aviation Inspectors
• Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation
• Bridge and Lock Tenders
• Parking Attendants
• Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants
• Aircraft Service Attendants

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Questions people ask

How much does a Transportation Inspector earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $92,100 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $58,780 to $108,890.

Is a Transportation Inspector a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 2% by 2035, from about 25,100 to about 25,600 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Transportation Inspector?

Usually not. Only 21% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Transportation Inspector?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

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.