Transit and railroad police salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $57,690 | $27.73 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $90,230 | $43.38 |
| Mean (average) | $91,810 | $44.14 |
| 90th percentile | $125,910 | $60.53 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Transit and railroad police pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 9 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $109,650 | $77,230 | $109,680 | 100 | 0.19 |
| Florida | $69,810 | $66,010 | $70,000 | 40 | 0.16 |
| Georgia | $57,690 | $52,280 | $72,420 | 240 | 1.76 |
| Maryland | $99,420 | $63,390 | $129,600 | ||
| Missouri | $67,840 | $48,720 | $118,600 | 90 | 1.09 |
| New Jersey | $106,290 | $79,790 | $121,830 | 340 | 2.8 |
| New York | $90,460 | $50,170 | $125,910 | ||
| Texas | $78,480 | $53,710 | $111,280 | 80 | 0.19 |
| Utah | $87,770 | $87,770 | $98,580 | 80 | 1.54 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for transit and railroad police
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for transit and railroad police
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Security and Loss Prevention Services CIP 43.0109
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Prepare reports documenting investigation activities and results.
- Monitor transit areas and conduct security checks to protect railroad properties, patrons, and employees.
- Apprehend or remove trespassers or thieves from railroad property or coordinate with law enforcement agencies in apprehensions and removals.
- Direct security activities at derailments, fires, floods, or strikes involving railroad property.
- Patrol railroad yards, cars, stations, or other facilities to protect company property or shipments and to maintain order.
- Investigate or direct investigations of freight theft, suspicious damage or loss of passengers' valuables, or other crimes on railroad property.
- Examine credentials of unauthorized persons attempting to enter secured areas.
- Enforce traffic laws regarding the transit system and reprimand individuals who violate them.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Crime mapping software
- Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System IAFIS
- Law enforcement information databases
- MapInfo Professional
- MapInfo StreetPro
- National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database
- SmugMug Flickr
- Web browser software
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Negotiation, Service Orientation.
Common job titles: Law Enforcement Officer, Patrol Man, Patrol Officer, Patrolman, Police Captain, Police Specialist, Railroad Police, Railroad Police Officer, Transit Police Officer.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do transit and railroad police make?
The national median annual wage for transit and railroad police was $90,230 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $57,690 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $125,910. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do transit and railroad police need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is transit and railroad police a growing career?
BLS projects employment of transit and railroad police to change +3.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay transit and railroad police the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($109,650), New Jersey ($106,290), Maryland ($99,420). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.