As of January 2013, D-banded TSOs receive annual salaries of between $25,518 and $38,277, while E-banded officers are paid between $29,302 and $44,007. These salary bands do not include the additional locality pay that TSA employees working in high-cost areas are eligible to receive.
Owning a small RV is the clear winner for both trips, with costs of $865 and $3,077, respectively. The traditional vacation is next at $1,433 and $4,466. And the rented RV is most expensive, at $1,910 and $5,820. Owning a small RV lets you travel for only 60%-70% of the traditional car-plus-hotel cost.
1 In determining how much it costs to rent an RV, you should also consider the cost of kitchen utensils (pots, pans, etc.) and bedding.2  If the RV rental company provides those items, there will be a fee; however, you usually have the option of bringing your own utensils and bedding. For example, if the nightly rental rate is $99 and the total mileage traveled at, say, 34-cents per mile, a five-night, 600-mile trip would be $798. 2  Most RVs come with a generator, so there is a relatively small charge associated with the generator.