Transit operator demographics and statistics in the US
Transit operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates transit operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our transit operator estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about transit operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 46,234 transit operators currently employed in the United States.
- 38.6% of all transit operators are women, while 61.4% are men.
- The average transit operator age is 54 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of transit operators is White (47.7%), followed by Black or African American (25.1%), Hispanic or Latino (17.0%) and Asian (4.9%).
- In 2022, women earned 96% of what men earned.
- 9% of all transit operators are LGBT.
- Transit operators are 49% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to government companies.
On this page
Transit operator demographics by:
Transit operator gender statistics
38.6% of transit operators are women and 61.4% of transit operators are men.
- Male, 61.4%
- Female, 38.6%
Transit operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 61.4% |
| Female | 38.6% |
Transit operator gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$39,005
Female income
$37,402
Transit operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in transit operator positions over time. Currently, 38.6% of transit operators are female.
Transit operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 43.65% | 56.35% |
| 2011 | 44.17% | 55.83% |
| 2012 | 43.02% | 56.98% |
| 2013 | 45.37% | 54.63% |
| 2014 | 44.27% | 55.73% |
| 2015 | 46.25% | 53.75% |
| 2016 | 46.80% | 53.20% |
| 2017 | 46.24% | 53.76% |
| 2018 | 56.24% | 43.76% |
| 2019 | 60.60% | 39.40% |
| 2020 | 63.79% | 36.21% |
| 2021 | 61.40% | 38.60% |
Transit operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared transit operators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, diesel truck driver and tank wagon driver have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Bus Matron | 11% | 89% |
| Bus Escort | 18% | 82% |
| Bus Monitor | 19% | 81% |
| Transit Operator | 61% | 39% |
| Wrecker Operator | 99% | 1% |
| Tank Wagon Driver | 99% | 1% |
| Diesel Truck Driver | 100% | 0% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Transit operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among transit operators is White, which makes up 47.7% of all transit operators. Comparatively, 25.1% of transit operators are Black or African American and 17.0% of transit operators are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 47.7%
- Black or African American, 25.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.0%
- Asian, 4.9%
- Unknown, 4.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
Transit operator race
| Transit operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 47.7% |
| Black or African American | 25.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.0% |
| Asian | 4.9% |
| Unknown | 4.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.2% |
Transit operator race and ethnicity over time
See how transit operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Transit operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 65.92% | 21.39% | 1.42% | 9.10% |
| 2011 | 64.45% | 21.50% | 2.10% | 9.41% |
| 2012 | 65.27% | 20.63% | 1.99% | 9.47% |
| 2013 | 64.44% | 20.96% | 1.94% | 10.11% |
| 2014 | 65.30% | 20.79% | 1.69% | 9.86% |
| 2015 | 64.99% | 20.58% | 2.14% | 9.94% |
| 2016 | 62.65% | 21.23% | 2.51% | 10.79% |
| 2017 | 64.29% | 20.00% | 2.11% | 10.80% |
| 2018 | 54.60% | 24.49% | 4.16% | 13.88% |
| 2019 | 53.04% | 26.57% | 3.97% | 13.79% |
| 2020 | 48.63% | 26.35% | 4.07% | 15.46% |
| 2021 | 47.66% | 25.13% | 4.90% | 17.04% |
Transit operator wage gap by race
According to our data, asian transit operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White transit operators have the lowest average salary at $37,651.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $39,146 |
| White | $37,651 |
| Black or African American | $39,282 |
| Asian | $40,070 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $38,915 |
Average transit operator age
See how the average age of transit operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Transit operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 56 | 56 |
| White | 60 | 56.5 |
| Black or African American | 54 | 49.5 |
| Asian | 55 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 55 | 51 |
Transit operator age breakdown
The average age of transit operators is 40+ years years old, representing 91% of the transit operator population.
Transit operator age breakdown
| Transit Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 91% |
| 30-40 years | 9% |
| 20-30 years | 0% |
Transit operator educational attainment
The most common degree for transit operators is bachelor's degree, with 30% of transit operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are high school diploma degree at 28% and high school diploma degree at 24%.
- Bachelor's, 30%
- High School Diploma, 28%
- Associate, 24%
- Diploma, 9%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Transit operators by degree level
| Transit operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 30% |
| High School Diploma | 28% |
| Associate | 24% |
| Diploma | 9% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Transit operator jobs you might like
Transit operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, transit operators with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $39,723 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, transit operators earn a median annual income of $39,698 compared to $38,914 for transit operators with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $38,914 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $39,698 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $39,723 |
Transit operator employment statistics
Most transit operators work for a private in the transportation industry.
Company size where transit operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where transit operators work.
Transit operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 18% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 31% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 18% |
| > 10,000 employees | 14% |
Transit operator jobs by company type
Employees with the transit operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most transit operators prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Transit operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 9% |
| Public | 15% |
| Private | 49% |
| Government | 27% |
Transit operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for transit operators are transportation, government and finance.
Transit operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Transportation | 24% |
| Government | 19% |
| Finance | 12% |
| Education | 8% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Transit operator turnover and employment statistics
Transit operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for transit operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Transit operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Transit operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.89% |
| 2011 | 5.65% |
| 2012 | 5.76% |
| 2013 | 4.98% |
| 2014 | 4.12% |
| 2015 | 3.73% |
| 2016 | 3.25% |
| 2017 | 3.45% |
| 2018 | 2.79% |
| 2019 | 3.31% |
| 2020 | 7.02% |
| 2021 | 7.23% |
Average transit operator tenure
The average transit operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,428 transit operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Transit operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 17% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 16% |
Transit operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of transit operators that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Power Sweeper Operator | 1.73% | 27,848 |
| Truck Driver Class A | 3.95% | 709,900 |
| Escort Car Driver | 6.17% | 194,349 |
| Transit Operator | 8.69% | - |
| School Bus Aide | 8.77% | 62,917 |
Similar transit operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Power Sweeper Operator | 1.73% | 27,848 |
| Truck Driver Class A | 3.95% | 709,900 |
| Escort Car Driver | 6.17% | 194,349 |
| School Bus Aide | 8.77% | 62,917 |
Foreign languages spoken by transit operators
The most common foreign language among transit operators is Spanish at 52.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Swedish at 4.3% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 4.3%.
- Spanish, 52.2%
- Swedish, 4.3%
- Portuguese, 4.3%
- Chinese, 4.3%
- German, 4.3%
- Other, 30.6%
Transit operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 52.2% |
| Swedish | 4.3% |
| Portuguese | 4.3% |
| Chinese | 4.3% |
| German | 4.3% |
| Other | 30.6% |
