The average salary for a freight and cargo inspector in California is around $83,000 per year.
Avg Salary
Freight and cargo inspectors earn an average yearly salary of $83,000.
Wages typically start from $40,790 and go up to $144,460.
9% above national average Updated in 2025
Freight and cargo inspector earnings by seniority
Top-level freight and cargo inspector earnings begin at:
$69.45 per hour
$144,460 per year
Senior-level freight and cargo inspector earnings begin at:
$55.22 per hour
$114,850 per year
Mid-level freight and cargo inspector earnings begin at:
$39.90 per hour
$83,000 per year
Junior-level freight and cargo inspector earnings begin at:
$26.76 per hour
$55,660 per year
Starting level freight and cargo inspector earnings begin at:
$19.61 per hour
$40,790 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Freight and cargo inspector salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Georgia | $95,030 |
| New York | $93,420 |
| Minnesota | $92,860 |
| Connecticut | $91,520 |
| District of Columbia | $89,960 |
| Nebraska | $87,250 |
| Arkansas | $85,130 |
| North Carolina | $84,470 |
| Kentucky | $83,970 |
| California | $83,000 |
| Mississippi | $81,920 |
| Colorado | $81,820 |
| Pennsylvania | $81,550 |
| South Carolina | $80,490 |
| Indiana | $80,330 |
| Massachusetts | $79,650 |
| Tennessee | $78,430 |
| Oregon | $78,110 |
| Louisiana | $77,460 |
| Ohio | $77,010 |
| Wisconsin | $75,260 |
| South Dakota | $70,080 |
| Wyoming | $69,010 |
| Virginia | $68,610 |
| New Hampshire | $66,350 |
| Missouri | $64,690 |
| Utah | $64,480 |
| Maine | $63,750 |
| New Mexico | $63,690 |
| Montana | $62,810 |
| Arizona | $62,250 |
| West Virginia | $58,670 |
| Idaho | $54,330 |
| Nevada | $50,060 |
| New Jersey | $49,250 |
| Rhode Island | $48,680 |
| Illinois | $47,990 |
| Guam | $37,030 |
| Michigan | $35,890 |
| Puerto Rico | $18,610 |
| Alaska | $123,120 |
| Iowa | $116,850 |
| Oklahoma | $111,070 |
| Hawaii | $108,270 |
| Alabama | $108,140 |
| North Dakota | $106,330 |
| Washington | $104,250 |
| Kansas | $103,380 |
| Florida | $101,470 |
| Texas | $101,440 |
| Maryland | $100,700 |
How do freight and cargo inspector salaries compare to similar careers?
Freight and cargo inspectors earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than transportation planners but more than locomotive engineers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Transportation planner salary | $98K |
| Customs broker salary | $88K |
| Transit police officer salary | $110K |
| Logistician salary | $93K |
| Avionics technician salary | $92K |
| Freight and cargo inspector salary | $83K |
| Aircraft mechanic salary | $86K |
| Flight attendant salary | $82K |
| Traffic technician salary | $79K |
| Locomotive engineer salary | $77K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)