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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

53-6011 Bridge and Lock Tenders

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.


National estimates for Bridge and Lock Tenders
Industry profile for Bridge and Lock Tenders
Geographic profile for Bridge and Lock Tenders

National estimates for Bridge and Lock Tenders:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Bridge and Lock Tenders:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
3,460 4.0 % $ 24.07 $ 50,070 1.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Bridge and Lock Tenders:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 13.94 $ 16.03 $ 23.62 $ 30.89 $ 33.60
Annual Wage (2) $ 28,990 $ 33,340 $ 49,120 $ 64,250 $ 69,880


Industry profile for Bridge and Lock Tenders:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Bridge and Lock Tenders are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Bridge and Lock Tenders, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Bridge and Lock Tenders:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) 1,150 0.05 $ 30.88 $ 64,220
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 600 0.01 $ 23.14 $ 48,120
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 580 0.03 $ 22.16 $ 46,090
Support Activities for Road Transportation 400 0.35 $ 16.00 $ 33,280
Rail Transportation 260 0.14 $ 25.82 $ 53,710

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Bridge and Lock Tenders:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Support Activities for Road Transportation 400 0.35 $ 16.00 $ 33,280
Rail Transportation 260 0.14 $ 25.82 $ 53,710
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) 1,150 0.05 $ 30.88 $ 64,220
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 580 0.03 $ 22.16 $ 46,090
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 600 0.01 $ 23.14 $ 48,120

Top paying industries for Bridge and Lock Tenders:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) 1,150 0.05 $ 30.88 $ 64,220
Rail Transportation 260 0.14 $ 25.82 $ 53,710
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 600 0.01 $ 23.14 $ 48,120
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 580 0.03 $ 22.16 $ 46,090
Support Activities for Road Transportation 400 0.35 $ 16.00 $ 33,280


Geographic profile for Bridge and Lock Tenders:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Bridge and Lock Tenders are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Bridge and Lock Tenders, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of bridge and lock tenders by state, May 2023


States with the highest employment level in Bridge and Lock Tenders:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Florida 570 0.06 2.60 $ 16.50 $ 34,330
Louisiana 400 0.22 9.49 $ 20.91 $ 43,490
Illinois 290 0.05 2.13 $ 34.51 $ 71,780
New York 220 0.02 1.02 $ 22.52 $ 46,840
North Carolina 160 0.03 1.49 $ 16.84 $ 35,020


Map of location quotient of bridge and lock tenders by state, May 2023


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Bridge and Lock Tenders:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Louisiana 400 0.22 9.49 $ 20.91 $ 43,490
West Virginia 60 0.09 3.95 $ 30.12 $ 62,640
Florida 570 0.06 2.60 $ 16.50 $ 34,330
Iowa 90 0.06 2.44 $ 30.99 $ 64,460
Illinois 290 0.05 2.13 $ 34.51 $ 71,780


Map of annual mean wages of bridge and lock tenders by state, May 2023


Top paying states for Bridge and Lock Tenders:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Illinois 290 0.05 2.13 $ 34.51 $ 71,780
Missouri 40 0.01 0.59 $ 31.81 $ 66,160
Minnesota 80 0.03 1.22 $ 31.16 $ 64,820
Pennsylvania 120 0.02 0.86 $ 31.03 $ 64,540
Iowa 90 0.06 2.44 $ 30.99 $ 64,460



Map of employment of bridge and lock tenders by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Bridge and Lock Tenders:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 360 0.13 5.74 $ 16.17 $ 33,640
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 120 0.03 1.20 $ 37.95 $ 78,940
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 120 0.01 0.54 $ 25.47 $ 52,980
Pittsburgh, PA 110 0.10 4.54 $ 31.01 $ 64,500
Houma-Thibodaux, LA 100 1.24 54.58 $ 14.67 $ 30,510
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 100 0.19 8.50 $ 21.33 $ 44,370
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 80 0.03 1.32 $ 19.14 $ 39,820
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL 40 0.25 10.80 $ 30.37 $ 63,170
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 40 0.05 2.26 $ 19.56 $ 40,680
Lafayette, LA 30 0.17 7.61 $ 27.22 $ 56,610


Map of location quotient of bridge and lock tenders by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Bridge and Lock Tenders:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houma-Thibodaux, LA 100 1.24 54.58 $ 14.67 $ 30,510
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL 40 0.25 10.80 $ 30.37 $ 63,170
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 100 0.19 8.50 $ 21.33 $ 44,370
Lafayette, LA 30 0.17 7.61 $ 27.22 $ 56,610
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 360 0.13 5.74 $ 16.17 $ 33,640
Pittsburgh, PA 110 0.10 4.54 $ 31.01 $ 64,500
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 40 0.05 2.26 $ 19.56 $ 40,680
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 80 0.03 1.32 $ 19.14 $ 39,820
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 120 0.03 1.20 $ 37.95 $ 78,940
St. Louis, MO-IL 30 0.02 1.06 $ 36.43 $ 75,770


Map of annual mean wages of bridge and lock tenders by area, May 2023


Top paying metropolitan areas for Bridge and Lock Tenders:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 120 0.03 1.20 $ 37.95 $ 78,940
St. Louis, MO-IL 30 0.02 1.06 $ 36.43 $ 75,770
Pittsburgh, PA 110 0.10 4.54 $ 31.01 $ 64,500
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL 40 0.25 10.80 $ 30.37 $ 63,170
Lafayette, LA 30 0.17 7.61 $ 27.22 $ 56,610
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 120 0.01 0.54 $ 25.47 $ 52,980
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 100 0.19 8.50 $ 21.33 $ 44,370
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC 40 0.05 2.26 $ 19.56 $ 40,680
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 80 0.03 1.32 $ 19.14 $ 39,820
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 360 0.13 5.74 $ 16.17 $ 33,640

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Bridge and Lock Tenders:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area 50 0.77 33.86 $ 19.18 $ 39,900
Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 50 0.34 14.75 $ 31.59 $ 65,700
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 40 0.17 7.53 $ 32.64 $ 67,900
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 40 0.18 7.88 $ 31.26 $ 65,020
West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area 40 0.23 10.00 $ 32.99 $ 68,620

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Bridge and Lock Tenders:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area 50 0.77 33.86 $ 19.18 $ 39,900
Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 50 0.34 14.75 $ 31.59 $ 65,700
North Missouri nonmetropolitan area 30 0.28 12.48 $ 31.33 $ 65,170
West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area 40 0.23 10.00 $ 32.99 $ 68,620
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 40 0.18 7.88 $ 31.26 $ 65,020

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Bridge and Lock Tenders:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area 40 0.23 10.00 $ 32.99 $ 68,620
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 40 0.17 7.53 $ 32.64 $ 67,900
Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 50 0.34 14.75 $ 31.59 $ 65,700
North Missouri nonmetropolitan area 30 0.28 12.48 $ 31.33 $ 65,170
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 40 0.18 7.88 $ 31.26 $ 65,020


About May 2023 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024