$Who Earns What

How much does a transit police officer make?

US Transit and Railroad Police

Answer: A typical transit police officer in the United States makes $90,230 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Yearly pay of a typical person doing this job in the US
$90,230

Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 4,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).

Lower earner
$57,690
10th from the bottom of 100
Typical person
$90,230
Right in the middle (median)
Higher earner
$125,910
10th from the top of 100

If 100 people had this job

Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-right

Hover over a person to see their yearly pay

50 of 100
more than half

Transit police officer pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)

Transit police officer pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$57,690$90,230$125,910about 4,000

Why does pay differ?

In the U.S., pay can vary with experience, required police training or credentials, the employer, and the region. Shift schedules and overtime can affect total earnings, and jobs with more responsibility may pay differently.

What if you lived in a different state?

Pay varies a lot by state in the US
Whole US$90,230
California$109,650
New Jersey$106,290
Maryland$99,420
New York$90,460
Utah$87,770
Florida$69,810
Missouri$67,840
Georgia$57,690

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

What does a transit police officer do?

Protect and police railroad and transit property, employees, or passengers.

What's a typical day like?

An officer may patrol subway platforms, train cars, and rail yards, watching over passengers and checking access to restricted areas. They may respond to thefts or other incidents, remove trespassers, and write reports.

How to get this job

In the U.S., finish high school, meet state and employer requirements (often age 21+), then complete a police academy and field training. Many officers first serve in general patrol before moving into transit or rail policing.

Vocational school or a few years' experience (preparation level 3 of 5)

Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized.

Did you know?

A railroad officer commissioned in one state may have police authority in other places where the railroad owns property, to protect riders and workers.

Similar jobs

Jobs using similar skills (O*NET)

Earn more in the same field

Protective Service jobs that pay a bit more

Sources and data

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine

Pages used for the text

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY