Bridge and Lock Tenders: Career Profile
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.
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What Tasks Do Bridge and Lock Tenders Perform?
The core tasks performed by bridge and lock tenders span:
- Control machinery to open and close canal locks and dams, railroad or highway drawbridges, or horizontally or vertically adjustable bridges.
- Direct movements of vessels in locks or bridge areas, using signals, telecommunication equipment, or loudspeakers.
- Observe position and progress of vessels to ensure best use of lock spaces or bridge opening spaces.
- Record names, types, and destinations of vessels passing through bridge openings or locks, and numbers of trains or vehicles crossing bridges.
- Observe approaching vessels to determine size and speed, and listen for whistle signals indicating desire to pass.
- Move levers to activate traffic signals, navigation lights, and alarms.
- Write and submit maintenance work requisitions.
- Log data, such as water levels and weather conditions.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful bridge and lock tenders combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Bridge Crew Member
- Bridge Leverman
- Bridge Opener
- Bridge Operator
- Bridge Saw Operator
- Bridge Tender
- Bridgeman
- Crossing Tender
Job Outlook
There are about 155,646 bridge and lock tenders working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -1.8% over the projection horizon.
Bridge and Lock Tenders Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $43,399 |
| Hourly median | $20.86 |
| 10th percentile | $25,674 |
| 25th percentile | $34,536 |
| 75th percentile | $52,261 |
| 90th percentile | $61,123 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Bridge and Lock Tenders Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $75,920 |
| Mississippi | $73,240 |
| Minnesota | $72,960 |
| Missouri | $72,700 |
| Iowa | $70,140 |
| Illinois | $69,530 |
| Alabama | $68,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $67,500 |
| West Virginia | $65,460 |
| Tennessee | $65,060 |
| Kentucky | $60,780 |
| Texas | $59,300 |
| California | $57,750 |
| Michigan | $56,260 |
| Ohio | $56,080 |
| Wisconsin | $55,530 |
| Massachusetts | $53,310 |
| New York | $51,340 |
| Indiana | $47,670 |
| Florida | $42,470 |
| Louisiana | $35,870 |
| North Carolina | $33,970 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for bridge and lock tenders vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains States | $71,903 | 7.7% | 1.53 |
| Far Western US | $65,320 | 5.4% | 0.45 |
| Great Lakes | $60,922 | 29.0% | 1.98 |
| Southwest | $59,300 | 3.2% | 0.28 |
| Middle Atlantic | $57,043 | 15.4% | 1.24 |
| New England | $53,310 | 1.8% | 0.67 |
| Southeast | $48,122 | 37.6% | 5.58 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Bridge and Lock Tenders
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | MO | $74,090 | 30 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $70,240 | 120 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | IA | $69,530 | 40 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | LA | $68,430 | 40 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | PA | $67,500 | 110 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | LA | $64,730 | 40 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $52,870 | 130 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $49,620 | 50 |
Top Industries Employing Bridge and Lock Tenders
The bulk of bridge and lock tenders are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 360 | $47,080 |
Bridge and Lock Tenders work in the following industries:
Software Bridge and Lock Tenders Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Oracle PeopleSoft (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for bridge and lock tenders tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
- Consequence of Error
- Freedom to Make Decisions
How to Become Bridge and Lock Tenders
Most bridge and lock tenders positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Security Guards (Supplemental)
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (Supplemental)
- Highway Maintenance Workers (Supplemental)
- Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers (Supplemental)
- Locksmiths and Safe Repairers (Supplemental)
- Riggers (Supplemental)
- Signal and Track Switch Repairers (Supplemental)
- Locomotive Engineers (Primary-Short)
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 53-6011.00 (Bridge and Lock Tenders).
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