Transportation and Material Moving

Subway and Streetcar Operators

20/100
#305 of 825
$86,380
median pay, U.S.
10,200
employed (2024)
+3.4%
growth, 2024–34
900
openings per year
High school diploma or equivalent
typical entry education

Is subway and streetcar operators a good career?

It scores 20/100 and ranks #305 of 825 occupations on pay, growth, employment and openings. Here's what the federal data says, with no editorializing.

Advantages

  • Pays well above the U.S. median wage ($86,380 vs $61,390)
  • No college degree typically required to enter

Possible tradeoffs

  • No notable tradeoffs stand out in the wage and projection data.

What subway and streetcar operators earn

Wages: BLS OEWS May 2025

Pay is a range, not a number. Half of U.S. subway and streetcar operators earn between $61,980 and $90,140 a year.

Best-paying states

Maryland statewide
$92,420
California statewide
$78,680
Washington statewide
$77,020
Florida statewide
$72,860
New Jersey statewide
$68,970
Minnesota statewide
$65,410
North Carolina statewide
$62,590
Virginia statewide
$61,970
Georgia statewide
$59,570
Texas statewide
$58,780
$40k $70k $100k

Best-paying metros

01 New York, NY $90,140
02 Baltimore, MD $84,350
03 Seattle, WA $77,020
04 Minneapolis, MN $69,680
05 St. Louis, MO $63,030
06 Virginia Beach, VA $61,980
07 San Diego, CA $60,970
08 Atlanta, GA $59,570

Strongest employment concentration

01 Utah 970
02 California 900
03 Maryland 480
04 Washington 320
05 Georgia 300
06 Texas 240

Live subway and streetcar operators jobs

No live subway and streetcar operators openings yet

When the jobs.best ATS feed launches, verified subway and streetcar operators openings will appear here — each shown against the $86,380 national median. Nothing here is placeholder.

No placeholder listings · nothing invented

How to become a subway and streetcar operator

Typical education
High school diploma or equivalent
Work experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training

Related occupations

High school diploma or equivalent · $78,000 median
High school diploma or equivalent · $81,410 median
High school diploma or equivalent · $68,840 median
Questions about becoming a subway and streetcar operator
How much do subway and streetcar operators make?

The national median wage is $86,380 a year, with the middle half earning between $61,980 and $90,140 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Is subway and streetcar operators a good career?

On the Jobs.best index it scores 20 of 100 and ranks #305 of 825 occupations, weighing pay, growth, employment and openings. Employment is projected to change +3.4% through 2034.

What education do you need to become a subway and streetcar operator?

The typical entry-level education is high school diploma or equivalent.

Where do subway and streetcar operators earn the most?

Among states, Maryland pays the highest median ($92,420). Local pay for every state and metro is below.

U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWages: BLS OEWS May 2025 · Projections: BLS EP 2024–34
Sources: OEWS-M2025 · EP-2024-34. How we score careers →