Bridge and Lock Tenders
Bridge and Lock Tenders (SOC 53-6011) earn a median $57,700 a year ($27.74 an hour) in the United States, with 3,040 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What bridge and lock tenders do
Bridge and lock tenders operate the structures that let boats pass through or under obstacles on waterways. Drawbridge operators raise or swing spans for vessels, then close them so trains and road traffic can cross again. Lock operators work the gates, valves, and machinery that fill and empty a canal lock to raise or lower boats between water levels, and some tend dams or lighthouses. Operators watch approaching vessels to judge size and speed, listen for whistle signals asking to pass, and direct boats into position using signals, telecommunication equipment, or loudspeakers. They set warning lights, gates, and alarms for road or rail traffic before opening a bridge, and they log the name, type, and destination of every vessel along with the number of vehicles or trains crossing. The job combines control-room work with watching the waterway. They also write and submit maintenance work requisitions and log data such as water levels and weather conditions.
Typical entry: O*NET reports that most workers in this occupation have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Also called: Bridge Crew Member, Bridge Leverman, Bridge Opener, Bridge Operator, Bridge Saw Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $13.51 | $18.58 | $27.74 | $33.47 | $36.23 | $26.62 | 3,040 |
| Annual | $28,090 | $38,640 | $57,700 | $69,620 | $75,360 | $55,370 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where bridge and lock tenders earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $33.78 | $34.48 | $37.51 | $37.51 | $40.35 | $36.66 | 50 | 0.01 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $70,260 | $71,720 | $78,020 | $78,020 | $83,930 | $76,240 | ||||
| Mississippi | Hourly | $15.02 | $32.13 | $35.93 | $35.93 | $35.93 | $30.78 | 50 | 0.04 | 2.06 |
| Annual | $31,250 | $66,830 | $74,730 | $74,730 | $74,730 | $64,030 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $30.68 | $33.27 | $35.78 | $37.36 | $37.36 | $34.89 | 60 | 0.02 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $63,810 | $69,200 | $74,420 | $77,710 | $77,710 | $72,570 | ||||
| Missouri | Hourly | $30.46 | $32.01 | $35.63 | $35.81 | $37.72 | $34.12 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $63,360 | $66,580 | $74,110 | $74,480 | $78,460 | $70,970 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $23.29 | $25.38 | $34.80 | $38.05 | $41.81 | $32.73 | 80 | 0.01 | 0.24 |
| Annual | $48,440 | $52,800 | $72,390 | $79,150 | $86,960 | $68,070 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Florida | Hourly | $13.00 | $13.51 | $13.51 | $18.79 | $24.35 | $16.67 | 470 | 0.05 | 2.44 |
| Annual | $27,040 | $28,090 | $28,090 | $39,090 | $50,640 | $34,680 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $16.06 | $18.58 | $18.80 | $33.64 | $38.99 | $24.38 | 370 | 0.19 | 9.76 |
| Annual | $33,390 | $38,640 | $39,090 | $69,970 | $81,100 | $50,700 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $26.53 | $31.08 | $34.08 | $35.63 | $41.54 | $34.47 | 290 | 0.05 | 2.45 |
| Annual | $55,190 | $64,640 | $70,890 | $74,110 | $86,390 | $71,700 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $15.50 | $15.50 | $24.79 | $29.14 | $34.31 | $24.03 | 210 | 0.02 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $32,240 | $32,240 | $51,560 | $60,610 | $71,360 | $49,980 | ||||
| Michigan | Hourly | $15.49 | $16.83 | $24.30 | $26.85 | $36.31 | $23.34 | 130 | 0.03 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $32,210 | $35,000 | $50,540 | $55,850 | $75,520 | $48,540 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Lafayette, LA | Hourly | $18.58 | $22.12 | $36.22 | $38.99 | $38.99 | $32.07 | 30 | 0.17 | 8.54 |
| Annual | $38,640 | $46,000 | $75,340 | $81,100 | $81,100 | $66,710 | ||||
| St. Louis, MO-IL | Hourly | $28.65 | $32.01 | $35.81 | $37.72 | $37.72 | $35.20 | 30 | 0.03 | 1.26 |
| Annual | $59,590 | $66,580 | $74,480 | $78,460 | $78,460 | $73,220 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $28.44 | $31.08 | $35.15 | $41.54 | $42.69 | $36.64 | 120 | 0.03 | 1.39 |
| Annual | $59,160 | $64,640 | $73,110 | $86,390 | $88,790 | $76,220 | ||||
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | Hourly | $26.64 | $30.46 | $34.08 | $35.63 | $35.63 | $32.65 | 50 | 0.25 | 12.74 |
| Annual | $55,410 | $63,360 | $70,890 | $74,110 | $74,110 | $67,900 | ||||
| Baton Rouge, LA | Hourly | $18.58 | $18.58 | $33.64 | $38.99 | $38.99 | $30.70 | 40 | 0.09 | 4.36 |
| Annual | $38,640 | $38,640 | $69,970 | $81,100 | $81,100 | $63,860 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $28.44 | $31.08 | $35.15 | $41.54 | $42.69 | $36.64 | 120 | 0.03 | 1.39 |
| Annual | $59,160 | $64,640 | $73,110 | $86,390 | $88,790 | $76,220 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $18.09 | $24.79 | $26.31 | $29.14 | $34.46 | $26.68 | 120 | 0.01 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $37,630 | $51,560 | $54,720 | $60,610 | $71,680 | $55,490 | ||||
| Pittsburgh, PA | Hourly | $28.40 | $31.94 | $33.08 | $35.06 | $35.06 | $32.86 | 110 | 0.10 | 4.91 |
| Annual | $59,070 | $66,440 | $68,810 | $72,920 | $72,920 | $68,350 | ||||
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | Hourly | $16.06 | $18.58 | $18.81 | $34.93 | $38.99 | $24.59 | 90 | 0.20 | 9.99 |
| Annual | $33,390 | $38,640 | $39,110 | $72,650 | $81,100 | $51,140 | ||||
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | Hourly | $26.64 | $30.46 | $34.08 | $35.63 | $35.63 | $32.65 | 50 | 0.25 | 12.74 |
| Annual | $55,410 | $63,360 | $70,890 | $74,110 | $74,110 | $67,900 | ||||
Top industries employing bridge and lock tenders
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) employ 39.8% of bridge and lock tenders nationally (1,210 jobs) at a median $69,200 a year ($33.27 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (23.0%) and State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (17.4%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 1,210 | 39.8% | $69,200 | $33.27 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 700 | 23.0% | $48,950 | $23.53 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 530 | 17.4% | $43,100 | $20.72 |
| Support Activities for Road Transportation NAICS 488400 | 340 | 11.2% | $28,090 | $13.51 |
| Rail Transportation NAICS 482100 | 200 | 6.6% | $57,730 | $27.76 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (3,040). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $45,390 for bridge and lock tenders in May 2021 and $57,700 in May 2025, with employment of 4,040 and 3,040.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $45,390 | $21.82 | 4,040 |
| May 2022 | $47,280 | $22.73 | 3,690 |
| May 2023 | $49,120 | $23.62 | 3,460 |
| May 2024 | $58,490 | $28.12 | 2,720 |
| May 2025 | $57,700 | $27.74 | 3,040 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
23 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington profile | $37.51 | $78,020 | $70,260 | $83,930 | 50 | 0.01 | 0.67 |
| 2 | Mississippi profile | $35.93 | $74,730 | $31,250 | $74,730 | 50 | 0.04 | 2.06 |
| 3 | Minnesota profile | $35.78 | $74,420 | $63,810 | $77,710 | 60 | 0.02 | 1.06 |
| 4 | Missouri profile | $35.63 | $74,110 | $63,360 | $78,460 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.73 |
| 5 | California profile | $34.80 | $72,390 | $48,440 | $86,960 | 80 | 0.01 | 0.24 |
| 6 | Illinois profile | $34.08 | $70,890 | $55,190 | $86,390 | 290 | 0.05 | 2.45 |
| 7 | Iowa profile | $34.08 | $70,890 | $63,360 | $74,420 | 50 | 0.04 | 1.77 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania profile | $33.08 | $68,810 | $61,570 | $72,920 | 110 | 0.02 | 0.95 |
| 9 | Alabama profile | $32.13 | $66,830 | $49,900 | $74,730 | 70 | 0.03 | 1.60 |
| 10 | West Virginia profile | $31.47 | $65,460 | $60,760 | $69,620 | 60 | 0.09 | 4.59 |
| 11 | Indiana profile | $29.22 | $60,780 | $48,420 | $71,610 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.94 |
| 12 | Tennessee profile | $29.05 | $60,420 | $49,900 | $65,060 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.92 |
| 13 | Ohio profile | $28.08 | $58,410 | $44,500 | $72,920 | 110 | 0.02 | 0.98 |
| 14 | Kentucky profile | $27.99 | $58,220 | $47,410 | $71,610 | 100 | 0.05 | 2.48 |
| 15 | Wisconsin profile | $27.57 | $57,350 | $41,260 | $75,000 | 110 | 0.04 | 1.90 |
| 16 | Massachusetts profile | $26.84 | $55,830 | $48,050 | $68,710 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.53 |
| 17 | New York profile | $24.79 | $51,560 | $32,240 | $71,360 | 210 | 0.02 | 1.13 |
| 18 | Michigan profile | $24.30 | $50,540 | $32,210 | $75,520 | 130 | 0.03 | 1.47 |
| 19 | Virginia profile | $22.65 | $47,120 | $38,160 | $78,100 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.47 |
| 20 | Texas profile | $22.03 | $45,820 | $31,850 | $74,240 | 70 | 0.01 | 0.25 |
| 21 | North Carolina profile | $19.90 | $41,380 | $34,230 | $45,860 | 50 | 0.01 | 0.49 |
| 22 | Louisiana profile | $18.80 | $39,090 | $33,390 | $81,100 | 370 | 0.19 | 9.76 |
| 23 | Florida profile | $13.51 | $28,090 | $27,040 | $50,640 | 470 | 0.05 | 2.44 |
Part of Transportation and Material Moving Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 53-6011 Bridge and Lock Tenders.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 53-6011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-6011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.