53 Series · SOC 53-4041

Subway and Streetcar Operators Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$86,380
Median / year
$90,140
Top 10% earn
+3.4%
Growth '23–'33
10,200
US workers

Subway and Streetcar Operators earn a median of $86,380 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $86,380, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $55,180 (10th percentile) to $90,140 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 10,200 US workers. Maryland pays the most ($92,420), since pay varies by state and metro area.

53 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Subway and Streetcar Operators earn a median of $86,380, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 77% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks #7 of 50 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 3.4% by 2033.

$86,380
Median annual wage
Top 23%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#7 of 50
in Transportation and Material Moving
1.6×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Maryland at $92,420. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Subway and Streetcar Operators (SOC 53-4041) pays a national median of $86,380 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $55,180 at the 10th percentile to $90,140 at the 90th, with a mean of $77,170 indicating a compressed distribution clustered near the median. An estimated 10,200 Americans work in this occupation across 13 reporting states and 8 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +3.4% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 900 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of C for this role, with a fatality rate of 17.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 4.8 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Maryland pays the highest state median at $92,420, which is +7% above the national figure. The top metro is New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $90,140 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 10,200 jobs Median $86,380/yr

Median Salary

$86,380

per year

Median Hourly

$41.53/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$77,170

average

Employment

10,200

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Subway and Streetcar Operators pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$86,380 Top 23% higher than 77% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 53-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Subway and Streetcar Operators; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 25 53-series occupations with growth data, Subway and Streetcar Operators sits on the slower-growing side at +3.4% growth and $86,380 median pay.

Among 25 53-series occupations with growth data, Subway and Streetcar Operators sits on the slower-growing side at +3.4% growth and $86,380 median pay. Scatter plot of 25 data points. $0$50000$100000$150000$200000$250000 -20%-10%0%10%20% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 25 53-series occupations with growth data, Subway and Streetcar Operators sits on the slower-growing side at +3.4% growth and $86,380 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+3.4%

Slower than average

Annual Openings

900

per year (projected)

Typical Education

High school diploma or equivalent

On-the-Job Training

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
C

Moderate Risk

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

17.5/100K

Injury Rate

4.8/100

Danger Index

28/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Subway and Streetcar Operators roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Operations Monitoring 3.9
Operation and Control 3.9
Active Listening 3.6
Speaking 3.4
Monitoring 3.3
Reading Comprehension 3.1
Service Orientation 3.1
Judgment and Decision Making 3.1
Critical Thinking 3.0
Active Learning 3.0

Knowledge Areas

Transportation 4.4
Public Safety and Security 3.9
Customer and Personal Service 3.7
English Language 3.2
Education and Training 2.8
Telecommunications 2.6
Mechanical 2.6
Administration and Management 2.5
Law and Government 2.3
Psychology 2.2

Key Tasks

  • ▸ Monitor lights indicating obstructions or other trains ahead and watch for car and truck traffic at crossings to stay alert to potential hazards.
  • ▸ Operate controls to open and close transit vehicle doors.
  • ▸ Drive and control rail-guided public transportation, such as subways, elevated trains, and electric-powered streetcars, trams, or trolleys, to transport passengers.
  • ▸ Report delays, mechanical problems, and emergencies to supervisors or dispatchers, using radios.
  • ▸ Regulate vehicle speed and the time spent at each stop to maintain schedules.
  • ▸ Make announcements to passengers, such as notifications of upcoming stops or schedule delays.
  • ▸ Direct emergency evacuation procedures.
  • ▸ Complete reports, including shift summaries and incident or accident reports.
  • ▸ Greet passengers, provide information, and answer questions concerning fares, schedules, transfers, and routings.
  • ▸ Attend meetings on driver and passenger safety to learn ways in which job performance might be affected.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$55,180$61,980$86,380$90,140$90,140
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$26.53$29.80$41.53$43.34$43.34
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$55,180

25th Percentile

$61,980

Median

$86,380

75th Percentile

$90,140

90th Percentile

$90,140

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. Maryland $92,420 2. California $78,680 3. Washington $77,020 4. Florida $72,860 5. New Jersey $68,970

Lowest Paying States

9. Michigan $41,710 10. Missouri $53,030 11. Utah $58,620 12. Texas $58,780 13. Georgia $59,570
View all 13 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Maryland $92,420 +7% above national
2 California $78,680 9% below national
3 Washington $77,020 11% below national
4 Florida $72,860 16% below national
5 New Jersey $68,970 20% below national
6 Minnesota $65,410 24% below national
7 North Carolina $62,590 28% below national
8 Virginia $61,970 28% below national
9 Georgia $59,570 31% below national
10 Texas $58,780 32% below national
11 Utah $58,620 32% below national
12 Missouri $53,030 39% below national
13 Michigan $41,710 52% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $90,140 2. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $84,350 3. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $77,020 4. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $69,680 5. St. Louis, MO-IL $63,030

Lowest Paying Metros

4. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $59,570 5. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $60,970 6. Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $61,980 7. St. Louis, MO-IL $63,030 8. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $69,680
View all 8 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $90,140 +4% above national
2 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $84,350 2% below national
3 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $77,020 11% below national
4 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $69,680 19% below national
5 St. Louis, MO-IL $63,030 27% below national
6 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $61,980 28% below national
7 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $60,970 29% below national
8 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $59,570 31% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 53 (transportation and material moving) with comparable pay and career paths.

Air Traffic Controllers

SOC 53-2021

Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors

SOC 53-1041

Aircraft Service Attendants

SOC 53-6032

Airfield Operations Specialists

SOC 53-2022

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers

SOC 53-2011
Compare Subway and Streetcar Operators side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Subway and Streetcar Operators make? ▼
The median annual salary for Subway and Streetcar Operators is $86,380 ($41.53/hour). The salary range spans from $55,180 at the 10th percentile to $90,140 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Subway and Streetcar Operators the most? ▼
Maryland pays the highest median salary for Subway and Streetcar Operators at $92,420/year, which is +7% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Subway and Streetcar Operators? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Subway and Streetcar Operators is High school diploma or equivalent. On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training.
How dangerous is being a Subway and Streetcar Operators? ▼
Subway and Streetcar Operators has a safety grade of C (Moderate Risk) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 17.5 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 4.8 per 100 workers.
Is Subway and Streetcar Operators a good career? ▼
Employment for Subway and Streetcar Operators is projected to grow 3.4% from 2024 to 2034, which is slower than average. About 900 openings are projected each year.
How does Subway and Streetcar Operators pay vary by state? ▼
Subway and Streetcar Operators salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Maryland at $92,420/year, while Georgia pays the least at $59,570/year. BLS data covers 13 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Subway and Streetcar Operators? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Subway and Streetcar Operators is New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ at $90,140/year. BLS reports wage data for 8 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Subway and Streetcar Operators pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $90,140/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Maryland leads at $92,420/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.