Transportation Security Screeners
Machines can already do 21% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 49%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Transportation Security Screeners in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 21% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 0% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2036, and 49% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 50,290 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $66,770 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 85% for contact with people.
- Also called: Security Screener, Transportation Security Officer (TSO).
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inspect carry-on items, using x-ray viewing equipment, to determine whether items contain objects that warrant further investigation | 18% | 22% to 55% | |
| Search carry-on or checked baggage by hand when it is suspected to contain prohibited items such as weapons | 11% | 3% to 25% | |
| 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 | 11% | 3% to 25% | |
| Ask passengers to remove shoes and divest themselves of metal objects prior to walking through metal detectors | 11% | 27% to 46% | |
| 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 | 9% | 27% to 64% | |
| Test baggage for any explosive materials, using equipment such as explosive detection machines or chemical swab systems | 5% | 18% to 51% | |
| Monitor passenger flow through screening checkpoints to ensure order and efficiency | 5% | 36% to 68% | |
| Provide directions and respond to passenger inquiries | 5% | 32% to 50% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills transportation security screeners use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
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- Upholsterers40% of tasks by 2035 · US median $46,340
- Psychiatric Aides44% of tasks by 2035 · US median $44,910
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Transportation Security Screeners?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2036. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of transportation security screeners?
Machines can do 21% of the tasks of transportation security screeners today and 49% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 33-9093.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Transportation Security Screeners: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/transportation-security-screeners/