Law Enforcement Workers

How to become a Transit and Railroad Police

Also called: Law Enforcement Officer, Patrol Man, Patrol Officer, Patrolman, Police Captain, Police Specialist, Railroad Police, Railroad Police Officer, Transit Police Officer

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

Main 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.

How to become one

The education typically required to enter the occupation ranges from a high school diploma to a college degree. Most police and detectives must graduate from their agency's training academy before completing on-the-job training. Other requirements vary, but candidates usually must be at least 21 years old and able to meet rigorous physical and personal qualifications.

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $90,230 a year The middle half earn $68,990 to $119,290.
About 4,400 people work in this job now, and about 4,500 are projected by 2035. (+3.2%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Transit and Railroad Police?

How much does a Transit and Railroad Police earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $90,230 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $68,990 to $119,290.

Is a Transit and Railroad Police a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 3% by 2035, from about 4,400 to about 4,500 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Transit and Railroad Police?

Not always. 42% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Transit and Railroad Police?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.