Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Transit and railroad police focus on safety and security in transit and rail environments. This role offers a national median annual salary of $82,320, which reflects strong earning potential for a protective service occupation. National employment is relatively small at 3,000 workers, so this is a more specialized law enforcement path. Projected employment growth of 3.0% indicates that jobs are expected to expand over time, though available positions may remain limited in number. The role benefits from a broad mix of skills, including customer service, adaptability, physical strength and stamina, leadership, problem solving and decision making, and strong speaking and listening abilities. Attention to detail, interpersonal skills, and critical and analytical thinking are also important, alongside comfort with computers and information technology. For people interested in a focused public safety career that blends physical readiness with communication and analytical skills, this occupation can offer a specialized opportunity with defined growth potential.
Transit and railroad police earn a national median annual salary of $82,320, with notable variation by state and metro area. Among the top states listed, California offers the highest median salary at $109,650, followed by New Jersey at $106,290. Utah shows a median salary of $87,770, while Texas offers $78,480. Georgia’s median salary is $57,690, indicating that earnings can differ substantially depending on location. In the highlighted metro area of Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington (PA-NJ-DE-MD), the median salary is $103,980, which is higher than the national median. These figures suggest that choosing where to work can significantly influence pay levels within this field. Job seekers considering this career may want to weigh salary differences across states and major metro areas when making decisions about relocation or targeting employers.
Transit and railroad police have national employment of about 3,000 workers, reflecting a relatively small occupational group. Projected employment growth is 3.0%, indicating that overall employment is expected to increase. The data also report 0 annual openings, which signals that new opportunities may be limited or concentrated, even as total employment rises over time. This combination suggests that while the field is projected to grow, movement into these positions may not be frequent and openings could be competitive. At the state level, each of the top states listed—California, Texas, New Jersey, Utah, and Georgia—shows the same 3.0% growth rate. The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metro area is also projected to grow 3.0%. People exploring this occupation should be prepared for a specialized niche with measured growth and potentially fewer entry points compared with larger law enforcement categories.
Location plays a major role in opportunity for transit and railroad police. Among the top states by CareerGPS opportunity score, California leads with an opportunity score of 67.38, a median salary of $109,650, and employment of 100. New Jersey also stands out with a high median salary of $106,290, employment of 340, and an opportunity score of 48.84. Texas and Utah each show employment of 80 and identical projected growth of 3.0%, but differ in median salary and opportunity score: Texas at $78,480 and 51.57; Utah at $87,770 and 43.45. Georgia has the largest employment among these states at 240, but a lower median salary of $57,690 and an opportunity score of 41.49. At the metro level, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington (PA-NJ-DE-MD) offers a median salary of $103,980, employment of 80, 3.0% growth, and an opportunity score of 56.36. Comparing these figures can help candidates target locations that balance salary, employment size, and opportunity score.
Transit and railroad police roles typically require a high school diploma or equivalent, making this a public safety career that does not list a higher formal education requirement in the provided data. However, the skill profile is broad and multifaceted. Important abilities include customer service, adaptability, physical strength and stamina, and leadership. Strong problem solving and decision making, along with speaking and listening skills, support effective performance in this field. Being detail oriented and having solid interpersonal skills are also key, as is the capacity for critical and analytical thinking. Comfort with computers and information technology is another important component, reflecting the need to work with digital tools and information. While the formal education threshold may be accessible, developing this combination of physical, cognitive, and communication skills is central to being competitive for these specialized positions. Related occupations to explore include police and sheriff’s patrol officers and other listed protective service roles.
Use CareerGPS Pro to compare markets, understand the tradeoffs, and focus on the places with the strongest potential.
