Protective service
Transit and railroad police
Protect and police railroad and transit property, employees, or passengers.
Median pay
$90,230
Growth to 2035
+3%
about as fast as average
Openings a year
300
Time to qualify*
6 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Transit and railroad police
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Transit and railroad police: 71% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core 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.
Also called: Law Enforcement Officer · Patrol Man · Patrol Officer · Patrolman · Police Captain · Police Specialist · Railroad Police · Railroad Police Officer
Outlook and AI
Transit and railroad police held 4,400 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 4,500 by 2035 (+3%, about as fast as average; all jobs: +3.5%).
Compare with
- Transit and railroad police vs. Police officer
- Transit and railroad police vs. Security guard
- Transit and railroad police vs. First-line supervisors of police and detectives
- Transit and railroad police vs. First-line supervisor of security workers
- Transit and railroad police vs. Detectives and criminal investigators
- Transit and railroad police vs. Transportation security screener
- Transit and railroad police vs. Compliance officer
- Transit and railroad police vs. Private detectives and investigators
- Transit and railroad police vs. Fire inspectors and investigators