Jobs Similar to Bridge and Lock Tenders
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to bridge and lock tenders, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers, Aircraft Service Attendants and Subway and Streetcar Operators.
Bridge and Lock Tenders: $57,700 median pay · usual preparation: High school.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
- 1Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers
79% similar · $68,840 (+19%) · High school
- 2Aircraft Service Attendants
76% similar · $40,450 (−30%) · High school · Same group
- 3Subway and Streetcar Operators
76% similar · $86,380 (+50%) · High school
- 4Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
75% similar · $78,000 (+35%) · High school
- 5Locomotive Engineers
74% similar · $81,410 (+41%) · High school
- 6Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers
74% similar · $60,600 (+5%) · High school
- 7Highway Maintenance Workers
74% similar · $50,260 (−13%) · High school
- 8Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs
74% similar · $37,290 (−35%) · High school
- 9Motorboat Operators
73% similar · $47,520 (−18%) · High school
- 10Forest and Conservation Workers
73% similar · $43,680 (−24%) · High school
- 11Power Distributors and Dispatchers
73% similar · $106,730 (+85%) · Training or associate
- 12Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators
73% similar · $58,470 (+1%) · High school
- 13Light Truck Drivers
73% similar · $44,860 (−22%) · High school
- 14Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
73% similar · $49,690 (−14%) · High school
- 15Transportation Security Screeners
73% similar · $66,770 (+16%) · High school
- 16Parking Attendants
72% similar · $35,150 (−39%) · High school · Same group
- 17Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels
72% similar · $92,460 (+60%) · Training or associate
- 18Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
72% similar · $49,450 (−14%) · High school
- 19Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity
72% similar · $59,050 (+2%) · High school
- 20Hoist and Winch Operators
72% similar · $56,450 (−2%) · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than bridge and lock tenders.
- Subway and Streetcar Operators76% similar · $86,380 (+50%)
- Locomotive Engineers74% similar · $81,410 (+41%)
- Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters75% similar · $78,000 (+35%)
- Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers79% similar · $68,840 (+19%)
- Transportation Security Screeners73% similar · $66,770 (+16%)
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers74% similar · $60,600 (+5%)
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for bridge and lock tenders also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where bridge and lock tenders is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Motorboat Operators (77)
- Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers (75)
- Highway Maintenance Workers (74)
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers (74)
- Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs (74)
- Forest and Conservation Workers (73)
- Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators (73)
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity (72)
- Firefighters (72)
- Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors (70)
Questions about jobs like bridge and lock tenders
What jobs are most similar to bridge and lock tenders?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers (79% similar), Aircraft Service Attendants (76% similar), Subway and Streetcar Operators (76% similar), Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters (75% similar) and Locomotive Engineers (74% similar).
Which jobs like bridge and lock tenders pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($106,730, +85%; usually training or an associate degree), Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels ($92,460, +60%; usually training or an associate degree) and Subway and Streetcar Operators ($86,380, +50%; usually a high school diploma) have the highest BLS median pay compared with bridge and lock tenders ($57,700). Without more preparation than bridge and lock tenders usually need: Subway and Streetcar Operators, Locomotive Engineers and Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.