Subway and Streetcar Operators

Median salary

$86,380

Average salary

$77,170

Employment

10,200

Projected growth

3.4% growth

Annual openings

900

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

What Subway and Streetcar Operators Do

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

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed: Not available

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 2 of 5

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Experience: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
Education: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Job training: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

Transportationimportance 4.4/5
Public Safety and Securityimportance 3.9/5
Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 3.7/5
English Languageimportance 3.2/5
Education and Trainingimportance 2.8/5
Telecommunicationsimportance 2.6/5
Mechanicalimportance 2.6/5
Administration and Managementimportance 2.5/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment5.0/5
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.9/5
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.4/5
Contact With Others4.4/5
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions4.4/5
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General4.4/5

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

Machine Feeders and Offbearers93% skill match
Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation92% skill match
Motorboat Operators91% skill match
Rock Splitters, Quarry91% skill match
Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic91% skill match
Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders91% skill match
Light Truck Drivers91% skill match
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders91% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

Operations Monitoringimportance 3.9/5
Operation and Controlimportance 3.9/5
Service Orientationimportance 3.1/5
Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.1/5
Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.0/5
Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.0/5
Time Managementimportance 3.0/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

Microsoft Office software

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Cautiousness
Dependability
Attention to Detail
Self-Control
Stress Tolerance
Integrity
Perseverance

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

RealisticHigh
ConventionalMedium
SocialLow
EnterprisingLow
InvestigativeLow
ArtisticLow

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 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.

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where subway and streetcar operators make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).