Bridge and Lock Tenders earn a median of $57,700 per year ($27.74/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to fall 2.3% through 2035, with about 300 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 53-6011
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Bridge and Lock Tender in four numbers
- Median pay
- $57,700a year, or $27.74/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $28KTop 10% $75K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -2.3%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−2.3%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −2.3% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 3003,100 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20253.1K
- Projected 20353.1K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 3.1K Projected 2035 3.1K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school15%
- High school65%
- Certificate20%
Highest education held by bridge and lock tenders Segment Value Less than high school 15% High school 65% Certificate 20%
Also advertised as: Bridge Operator, Bridge Tender, Lock Tender.
Pay
How much do Bridge and Lock Tenders make?
Every bridge and lock tender in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$57,700
Middle half earn $38,640 to $69,620
- 10th
- $28,090
- 25th
- $38,640
- 75th
- $69,620
- 90th
- $75,360
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $28,090 |
| 25th | $38,640 |
| Median | $57,700 |
| 75th | $69,620 |
| 90th | $75,360 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $57,700
- Median hourly wage
- $27.74/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $55,370
- People employed
- 3,040
Versus all US occupations
At $57,700, Bridge and Lock Tenders earn 13% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $6,720 a year.
Versus transportation and material moving occupations
Inside the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $62,840, this is 8% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $75,360 or more while the bottom 10% earn $28,090, a gap of 2.7×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 29% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Washington posts the highest raw median ($78,020), but once local prices are taken into account Mississippi leads at $85,943 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Bridge and Lock Tenders the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Washington | $78,020 | $72,907 | 50 |
| 2Mississippi | $74,730 | $85,943 | 50 |
| 3Minnesota | $74,420 | $75,461 | 60 |
| 4Missouri | $74,110 | $81,604 | 40 |
| 5California | $72,390 | $65,381 | 80 |
| 6Illinois | $70,890 | $70,920 | 290 |
| 7Iowa | $70,890 | $80,775 | 50 |
| 8Pennsylvania | $68,810 | $70,522 | 110 |
| 9Alabama | $66,830 | $75,240 | 70 |
| 10West Virginia | $65,460 | $73,142 | 60 |
Job outlook
Is Bridge and Lock Tender a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -2.3% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bridge and Lock Tenders | −2.3% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Bridge and Lock Tenders to change -2.3% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 100 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 300 openings are projected each year, 9.7% of the 3,100 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Bridge and Lock Tender
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as bridge and lock tenders.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)65%
- Post-Secondary Certificate20%
- Less than a High School Diploma15%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 65% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 20% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 15% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Bridge and Lock Tender do?
Operate and tend bridges, canal locks, and lighthouses to permit marine passage on inland waterways, near shores, and at danger points in waterway passages. May supervise such operations. Includes drawbridge operators, lock operators, and slip bridge operators.
Day-to-day tasks
- Control machinery to open and close canal locks and dams, railroad or highway drawbridges, or horizontally or vertically adjustable bridges.
- Record names, types, and destinations of vessels passing through bridge openings or locks, and numbers of trains or vehicles crossing bridges.
- Direct movements of vessels in locks or bridge areas, using signals, telecommunication equipment, or loudspeakers.
- Move levers to activate traffic signals, navigation lights, and alarms.
- Log data, such as water levels and weather conditions.
- Perform maintenance duties, such as sweeping, painting, and yard work to keep facilities clean and in order.
- Observe position and progress of vessels to ensure best use of lock spaces or bridge opening spaces.
- Prepare accident reports.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes carry very serious consequences.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring3.3
- Active Listening3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Reading Comprehension2.9
- Writing2.9
- Learning Strategies2.5
- Active Learning2.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.3 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.9 |
| Writing | 2.9 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.5 |
| Active Learning | 2.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Coordination3.0
- Operations Monitoring3.0
- Operation and Control3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Service Orientation2.9
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
- Time Management2.9
- Instructing2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Operation and Control | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Service Orientation | 2.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.9 |
| Time Management | 2.9 |
| Instructing | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Network security or virtual private network VPN management software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Bridge and Lock Tender?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Bridge and Lock Tender |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic6.2
- Conventional4.4
- Enterprising2.6
- Investigative2.4
- Social1.8
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Bridge and Lock Tender
O*NET related occupations
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More transportation and material moving careers
Median annual pay, with bridge and lock tenders highlighted
- Airline Pilot$232,140
- Commercial Pilot$123,220
- Locomotive Engineer$81,410
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster$78,000
- Crane and Tower Operator$68,080
- Flight Attendant$63,580
- Truck Driver$58,640
- Bridge and Lock Tender$57,700
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector$49,690
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Airline Pilot | $232,140 |
| Commercial Pilot | $123,220 |
| Locomotive Engineer | $81,410 |
| Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster | $78,000 |
| Crane and Tower Operator | $68,080 |
| Flight Attendant | $63,580 |
| Truck Driver | $58,640 |
| Bridge and Lock Tender | $57,700 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $49,690 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Bridge and Lock Tender appears on
Questions
Bridge and Lock Tender: frequently asked questions
How much do Bridge and Lock Tenders make?
Bridge and Lock Tenders earn a median of $57,700 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 13% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $27.74/hr. The middle half earn between $38,640 and $69,620. The top 10% earn $75,360 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Bridge and Lock Tender?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Bridge and Lock Tenders. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 65.0% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Bridge and Lock Tender a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 2.3% over 2025–2035, a loss of 100 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Bridge and Lock Tender do?
Operate and tend bridges, canal locks, and lighthouses to permit marine passage on inland waterways, near shores, and at danger points in waterway passages. A core O*NET task: control machinery to open and close canal locks and dams, railroad or highway drawbridges, or horizontally or vertically adjustable bridges. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Enterprise resource planning ERP software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Bridge and Lock Tenders the most?
The highest state medians for Bridge and Lock Tenders are Washington ($78,020), Mississippi ($74,730), Minnesota ($74,420) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Mississippi moves to the top at $85,943.
What personality type suits a Bridge and Lock Tender?
O*NET scores Bridge and Lock Tenders highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.