Subway and Streetcar Operators Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for subway and streetcar operatorss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Maryland$84,800
- Washington$78,220
- California$74,720
- New Jersey$70,650
- Minnesota$67,700
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | $84,800 | $92,420 | $41 | +9.9% | 480 |
| 2 | Washington | $78,220 | $77,020 | $38 | +1.4% | 320 |
| 3 | California | $74,720 | $78,680 | $36 | -3.2% | 900 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $70,650 | $68,970 | $34 | -8.4% | 140 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $67,700 | $65,410 | $33 | -12.3% | 140 |
| 6 | Florida | $66,910 | $72,860 | $32 | -13.3% | 130 |
| 7 | North Carolina | $62,060 | $62,590 | $30 | -19.6% | 110 |
| 8 | Virginia | $58,480 | $61,970 | $28 | -24.2% | — |
| 9 | Utah | $58,240 | $58,620 | $28 | -24.5% | 970 |
| 10 | Georgia | $55,350 | $59,570 | $27 | -28.3% | 300 |
| 11 | Texas | $55,020 | $58,780 | $26 | -28.7% | 240 |
| 12 | Missouri | $51,250 | $53,030 | $25 | -33.6% | 70 |
| 13 | Michigan | $44,330 | $41,710 | $21 | -42.6% | 40 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 8 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $90,140 | $89,750 | 3,950 |
| 2 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $84,350 | $80,530 | 150 |
| 3 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $77,020 | $78,220 | 320 |
| 4 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $69,680 | $68,140 | 130 |
| 5 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $63,030 | $58,660 | 40 |
| 6 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $61,980 | $55,010 | 70 |
| 7 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $60,970 | $67,700 | 200 |
| 8 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $59,570 | $56,270 | 270 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing subway and streetcar operatorss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $90,140 | $79,360 | 9,330 |
| 2 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $90,140 | $79,360 | 9,330 |
| 3 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $90,140 | $79,180 | 8,090 |
| 4 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $90,140 | $79,180 | 8,090 |
| 5 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $90,140 | $79,360 | 9,330 |
| 6 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $86,380 | $77,170 | 10,200 |
| 7 | State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $80,230 | $80,520 | 1,240 |
| 8 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $80,230 | $80,520 | 1,240 |
| 9 | Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation | $55,410 | $55,190 | 730 |
| 10 | Urban Transit Systems | $55,410 | $55,190 | 730 |
| 11 | Sectors 48 and 49 - Transportation and Warehousing | $53,510 | $54,410 | 770 |
| 12 | Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $49,880 | $53,750 | 870 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do subway and streetcar operators make in the U.S.?
The median subway and streetcar operators salary in the United States is $86,380 per year (mean $77,170), and about 80% earn between $55,180 and $90,140.
How much do subway and streetcar operators make per hour?
Roughly $37 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $77,170 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays subway and streetcar operators the most?
Maryland has the highest average pay for subway and streetcar operators at $84,800 per year (median $92,420).
What is the job outlook for subway and streetcar operators?
Employment is projected to change +3.4% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 900 openings per year.