Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
MBTA salaries
MBTA salary estimate
$45,220yearly
Understanding MBTA Salaries
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) provides a broad range of employment opportunities, with salaries reflecting various roles and departments. The average salary stands at $45,220 annually, offering a solid foundation for those entering the transit industry. Positions within MBTA not only encompass operational roles but also extend to administrative and hospitality services, which can pay significantly more. For example, administrative roles often command higher salaries, adding to the appeal for job seekers.
To further assist potential employees, MBTA details salaries by department, helping candidates understand what they can expect based on their specific career interests. This transparency enables informed decisions about career paths within the organization. As MBTA continues to evolve, the salary landscape reflects its commitment to attract and retain talent, demonstrating the value placed on its workforce. Explore the various roles to find a position that aligns with your skills and salary expectations.
Highest paying jobs at MBTA
The highest paying jobs at MBTA are division chief, director, senior system administrator, and project manager. Division chief jobs at MBTA earn an average yearly salary of $145,462, MBTA director jobs average $123,422, and MBTA senior system administrator jobs average $111,412.
The lowest paying MBTA roles include landscaper and data entry associate. MBTA landscaper average salary is $27,173 per year. So while the average MBTA salary is $45,220 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.
Highest paying jobs at MBTA
| Rank | Job title | Average MBTA salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Division Chief | $145,462 | $69.93 |
| 2 | Director | $123,422 | $59.34 |
| 3 | Senior System Administrator | $111,412 | $53.56 |
| 4 | Project Manager | $82,512 | $39.67 |
| 5 | Legal Extern | $80,808 | $38.85 |
| 6 | Labour Relations Representative | $77,503 | $37.26 |
| 7 | Electrical Engineer | $77,466 | $37.24 |
| 8 | Human Resources Analyst | $75,157 | $36.13 |
| 9 | Information Technology Technician | $73,933 | $35.54 |
| 10 | Control Supervisor | $68,490 | $32.93 |
| 11 | Control Specialist | $65,067 | $31.28 |
| 12 | Benefit Specialist | $64,630 | $31.07 |
| 13 | Bar Manager | $63,834 | $30.69 |
| 14 | Human Resources Generalist | $63,586 | $30.57 |
| 15 | Budget Analyst | $63,363 | $30.46 |
| 16 | Co-Operations Engineer | $62,746 | $30.17 |
| 17 | Project Coordinator | $62,594 | $30.09 |
| 18 | Captain | $59,973 | $28.83 |
| 19 | Police Officer | $59,685 | $28.69 |
| 20 | Machinist Class B | $58,617 | $28.18 |
Rate MBTA's fairness in compensating employees.
Do you work at MBTA?
Did MBTA's compensation package meet your expectations?
MBTA salaries by department
Salaries at MBTA vary depending on the department you work in. MBTA salaries in the engineering department are the highest with an average salary of $76,596. Employees in the finance department at MBTA receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $74,105 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at MBTA include the customer service and the warehouse organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $34,028 and $35,480, respectively.
Average MBTA salary by department
| Rank | Department | Average MBTA salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Engineering | $76,596 | $36.83 |
| 2 | Finance | $74,105 | $35.63 |
| 3 | Legal | $66,108 | $31.78 |
| 4 | IT | $62,386 | $29.99 |
| 5 | Marketing | $58,791 | $28.26 |
| 6 | Human Resources | $57,526 | $27.66 |
| 7 | Non Profit/Government | $56,750 | $27.28 |
| 8 | Construction | $51,233 | $24.63 |
| 9 | Supply Chain | $48,311 | $23.23 |
| 10 | Facilities | $48,190 | $23.17 |
| 11 | Education | $46,533 | $22.37 |
| 12 | Accounting | $42,834 | $20.59 |
| 13 | Plant/Manufacturing | $41,855 | $20.12 |
| 14 | Administrative | $40,812 | $19.62 |
| 15 | Hospitality/Service | $37,993 | $18.27 |
| 16 | Warehouse | $35,481 | $17.06 |
| 17 | Customer Service | $34,028 | $16.36 |
How much does MBTA pay by department?
Best paying MBTA hospitality/service salaries
| Rank | Position | Average MBTA salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bar Manager | $63,834 | $30.69 |
| 2 | Assistant General Manager | $52,914 | $25.44 |
| 3 | Personal Trainer | $41,439 | $19.92 |
| 4 | Transit Driver | $37,672 | $18.11 |
| 5 | Bus Operator | $37,559 | $18.06 |
| 6 | Bus Driver | $37,003 | $17.79 |
Best paying MBTA administrative salaries
| Rank | Position | Average MBTA salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Administrator | $76,577 | $36.82 |
| 2 | General Internship | $50,432 | $24.25 |
| 3 | Administrative Coordinator | $49,691 | $23.89 |
| 4 | Office Manager | $48,879 | $23.50 |
| 5 | Operations/Dispatch | $44,857 | $21.57 |
| 6 | Train Starter | $43,650 | $20.99 |
| 7 | Secretary | $37,819 | $18.18 |
| 8 | Administrative Assistant | $36,372 | $17.49 |
| 9 | Scheduling Coordinator | $35,713 | $17.17 |
| 10 | Student Internship | $33,783 | $16.24 |
| 11 | Clerk | $30,874 | $14.84 |
| 12 | Receptionist | $30,690 | $14.75 |
| 13 | Office Assistant | $30,609 | $14.72 |
| 14 | Data Entry Associate | $29,704 | $14.28 |
Best paying MBTA engineering salaries
| Rank | Position | Average MBTA salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Architect And Developer | $123,726 | $59.48 |
| 2 | Technical Project Manager | $120,915 | $58.13 |
| 3 | Applications Analyst | $82,544 | $39.68 |
| 4 | Data Analyst | $80,886 | $38.89 |
| 5 | Programmer | $79,817 | $38.37 |
| 6 | Electrical Engineer | $77,466 | $37.24 |
| 7 | Project Engineer | $75,875 | $36.48 |
| 8 | Engineering Internship | $59,185 | $28.45 |
| 9 | Train Conductor | $55,412 | $26.64 |
| 10 | Railroad Conductor | $54,673 | $26.29 |
| 11 | Engineering Officer | $52,997 | $25.48 |
| 12 | Web Design Internship | $47,657 | $22.91 |
| 13 | Operations/Dispatch | $44,857 | $21.57 |
| 14 | Train Starter | $43,650 | $20.99 |
MBTA competitors’ average salaries
Average salaries at MBTA competitors, like TriMet, Dayton RTA, and Sacramento Regional Transit, vary. TriMet employees earn the highest salaries, with an average yearly salary of $58,667. The average salary at Dayton RTA is $50,049 per year, and the average salary at Sacramento Regional Transit is $48,933 per year.
Highest paying MBTA competitors
| Rank | Company name | Zippia score | Average salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TriMet | 4.7 | $58,667 |
| 2 | Dayton RTA | 3.8 | $50,049 |
| 3 | Sacramento Regional Transit | 4.1 | $48,933 |
| 4 | Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority | 4.7 | $48,248 |
| 5 | Dallas Area Rapid Transit | 4.1 | $47,277 |
| 6 | Capital Area Transportation Authority | 3.8 | $46,963 |
| 7 | Utah Transit Authority | 4.8 | $46,059 |
| 8 | VIA Metropolitan Transit | 4.2 | $43,890 |
| 9 | Bay Area Rapid Transit | 4.6 | $43,604 |
| 10 | CityLink | 4.4 | $43,083 |
| 11 | Jacksonville Transportation Authority | 4.3 | $42,834 |
| 12 | MARTA | 4.2 | $42,338 |
| 13 | San Francisco Municipal Railway | 4.4 | $42,318 |
| 14 | Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority | 4.7 | $42,010 |
| 15 | NJ Transit | 4.8 | $41,141 |
| 16 | Denver International Airport | 3.9 | $41,049 |
| 17 | San Diego Metropolitan Transit System | 4.1 | $40,603 |
| 18 | Transportation Services, Inc. (tsi) | 4.2 | $39,959 |
| 19 | Chicago Transit Authority | 4.6 | $39,914 |
| 20 | Turn Services | 4.5 | $37,579 |
Recently added MBTA salaries
| Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical and Grant Writer | Boston, MA | 06/28/2025 | $77,896 |
| Senior Director Bridge and Structures | Boston, MA | 06/26/2025 | $162,710 |
| Assistant Project Manager II | Boston, MA | 06/26/2025 | $94,604 |
| HR Business Partner | Boston, MA | 06/24/2025 | $91,510 |
| Rail Maintenance Admin Intern | Boston, MA | 06/24/2025 | $34,436 |
What employees say about salary at MBTA
The flexibility in schedule depending on the position you hold
The job location site only offers paid parking
The company is large. Thus, there's ample opportunity for growth
20 years
Max out with pay levels
Weekends off, sick time and vacation time, pension.
Benefits, pay, retirement and being in a leadership role.
It is a thankleas job, we are only a number.
We have an incredible retirment package.
Frequently asked questions about MBTA salaries
Search for jobs
Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of MBTA, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about MBTA. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at MBTA. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by MBTA. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of MBTA and its employees or that of Zippia.
MBTA may also be known as or be related to MBTA, Massachusetts Bay Transportation ..., Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Retirement Fund and Mbta.