Transportation & material moving · SOC 53-4022
Railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers
BLS projects 10,700 jobs in 2025 to become 10,800 by 2035 — +0.8%, against +3.5% across all occupations.
+0.8%
projected change to 2035
About 100 more jobs
900
openings a year
8.4% of the occupation a year, counting people who retire or move on
$68,840
median annual pay
Usually entered with: high school diploma or equivalent
2025 to 2035
Employment at the start and end of the projection, in jobs.
- 2025 employment10,700
- 2035 projected10,800
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, 2025–2035 projections.
Other transportation & material moving occupations
The largest occupations in the same group, by projected change to 2035.
- Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand2,940,300+1.8%
- Stockers and order fillers2,804,300+8.9%
- Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers2,221,200+3.8%
- Light truck drivers1,068,500+6.3%
- Industrial truck and tractor operators765,200+1.5%
- First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors621,500+3.0%
- Packers and packagers, hand555,500-5.0%
- Driver/sales workers442,900+7.9%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program.