Occupation salary profile

Subway and Streetcar Operators

SOC 53-4041 BLS OEWS May 2025

Operate subway or elevated suburban trains with no separate locomotive, or electric-powered streetcar, to transport passengers. May handle fares.

National median · BLS
$86,380
▲ +1.83% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$77,170
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
10,200
Jobs (BLS)
Highest-paying state (cost-adjusted) Loading…
Most jobs Loading…
Highest-paying metro (cost-adjusted) Loading…

Check your salary

Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.

Pay range for Subway and Streetcar Operators

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$55,180
25th$61,980
Median (50th)$86,380
75th$90,140
90th — top pay$90,140

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

Type in either box; the other updates instantly.

Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Subway and Streetcar Operators

BLS projects employment of subway and streetcar operators to grow 3.7% from 2025 to 2035, about the same as the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 900 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
10,500 → 10,900
+400 jobs
Projected change
+3.7%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
900
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a high school diploma →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Subway and Streetcar Operators

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Operation and Control3.9
  • Operations Monitoring3.9
  • Active Listening3.6
  • Speaking3.4
  • Monitoring3.3
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.1
  • Reading Comprehension3.1
  • Service Orientation3.1
  • Active Learning3.0
  • Complex Problem Solving3.0
Top knowledge areas
  • Transportation4.4
  • Public Safety and Security3.9
  • Customer and Personal Service3.7
  • English Language3.2
  • Education and Training2.8
  • Telecommunications2.6
  • Mechanical2.6
  • Administration and Management2.5
Software and technology used
Microsoft Office software

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What subway and streetcar operators do

  • 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.
Also called
Light Rail OperatorRail OperatorRapid Transit Operator (RTO)Train OperatorCombined Rail OperatorLight Rail Train OperatorLight Rail Vehicle Operator (LRV Operator)Streetcar OperatorTransit OperatorTrolley Operator
More job titles for this occupation (23)
Electric MotormanElevated MotormanLight Rail Transit OperatorMonorail OperatorMotor Coach OperatorMotor OperatorOperator TrainerRail Transit OperatorRide OperatorService Vehicle OperatorShuttle Route Vehicle OperatorStreetcar MotormanSubway ConductorSubway Train DriverSubway Train OperatorTrack Car OperatorTrackmobile OperatorTram DriverTram OperatorTrammerTransfer Car OperatorTrolley Car OperatorVehicle Operator

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.