Transit Operator

Transit Operator Salary

$25K

$37K

$51K

$38,487

/year

$18.50

/hour

Transit Operator Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$38,487

Columbus

Ohio

$37,175

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    How much does a Transit Operator make?

    As of Jul 5, 2026, the average annual pay for a Transit Operator in the United States is $38,487 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $18.50 an hour. This is the equivalent of $740/week or $3,207/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $51,000 and as low as $25,000, the majority of Transit Operator salaries currently range between $34,000 (25th percentile) to $43,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $48,500 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Transit Operator varies greatly (by as much as 9500), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    A Transit Operator in your area makes on average $37,175 per year, or $1,312 (3.409%) less than the national average annual salary of $38,487. Ohio ranks number 30 out of 50 states nationwide for Transit Operator salaries.

    To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Transit Operator jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

    Find your next high paying job as a Transit Operator on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Transit Operator Jobs

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Transit Operator job is above the national average. Topping the list is Crandon, WI, , with Berkeley, CA, and Marysville, WA, close behind in the second and third positions. Marysville, WA, beats the national average by $8,523 (22.1%), and Crandon, WI, furthers that trend with another $9,222 (24.0%) above the $38,487 average.

    With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Transit Operator appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 5% between Crandon, WI, and San Jose, CA, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Transit Operator role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Crandon, WI

    $47,709

    $22.94

    Berkeley, CA

    $47,125

    $22.66

    Marysville, WA

    $47,010

    $22.60

    Sitka, AK

    $46,365

    $22.29

    Pittsburg, CA

    $45,456

    $21.85

    San Francisco, CA

    $45,345

    $21.80

    Santa Clara, CA

    $45,201

    $21.73

    Novato, CA

    $45,187

    $21.72

    Livermore, CA

    $45,145

    $21.70

    San Jose, CA

    $45,107

    $21.69

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Transit Operator Jobs in the U.S.

    We found a few related jobs that pay more than jobs in the Transit Operator category.

    For example Illinois Comptroller jobs pay as much as $81,010 (210.5%) more than the average Transit Operator salary of $38,487. If you're qualified, finding work as a Illinois Comptroller may help you make more money than that of the average Transit Operator position.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Illinois Comptroller

    $119,497

    $57.45

    Ncis It Program

    $118,860

    $57.14

    Heavy Equipment Transporter

    $60,666

    $29.17

    Printing Technology

    $39,857

    $19.16

    Mva

    $30,000

    $14.42

    About Our Data

    ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

    Infographic detailing Transit Operator salary across the United States as of June 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $38,487 per year or $18.50 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.