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Train operator education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a train operator. Train operators usually study business, criminal justice, or general studies. 45% of train operators hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 3,426 real train operator resumes to see exactly what train operator education sections show.
The most common colleges for train operators are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online train operator courses to help get the education required to be a train operator.
There are certain train operator certifications that you should consider. These train operator certifications include OSHA Safety Certificate and Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).
What education do you need to become a train operator?
What degree do you need to be a train operator?
- Bachelor's, 45%
- Associate, 22%
- High School Diploma, 19%
- Master's, 6%
- Other Degrees, 8%
What should I major in to become a train operator?
- Business, 28%
- Criminal Justice, 7%
- General Studies, 7%
- Psychology, 6%
- Other Majors, 52%
Most common colleges for train operators
| Train operator common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 22.73% |
| Texas A&M University - Central Texas | 6.06% |
| Valencia College | 5.56% |
| Columbia Southern University | 5.05% |
| DeVry University | 5.05% |
Best majors for train operators
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 27.9% |
| 2 | Criminal Justice | 6.9% |
| 3 | General Studies | 6.6% |
| 4 | Psychology | 5.7% |
| 5 | Accounting | 5.2% |
Best colleges for train operators
The best colleges for train operators are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Boston University.
A train operator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for train operators. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become train operators.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
5. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
8. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,230
Enrollment
12,161
9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
10. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
20 best online courses for train operators
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Top 10 most affordable universities for train operators
The most affordable schools for train operators are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - long beach, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for train operators are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for train operators.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
5. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
6. University of Houston - Victoria
Victoria, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$6,491
Cost of attendance
19,075
7. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
8. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
9. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
10. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for train operators
The hardest universities for train operators to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Boston University.
Some great schools for train operators are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for train operators based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
7. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
8. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
9. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
10. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for train operators
The easiest schools for train operators to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and ottawa university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a train operator without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for train operators.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
3. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
4. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
5. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
6. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
7. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
8. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
9. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
10. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
Average train operator salary by education level
| Train operator education level | Train operator salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $44,859 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $35,707 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $41,650 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $38,023 |
Train operator education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025