occupation · 53-4022 · detailed
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers — wages and employment
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers earned a median annual wage of $65,480 in the United States in May 2024, with 12,460 people employed, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
What stands out
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers earned a median annual wage of $65,480 in the United States in May 2024, with 12,460 people employed, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The lowest-paid tenth earned $43,750 or less, the best-paid tenth $80,840 or more. Since May 2023 the median moved from $63,540 to $65,480, +3.1 %. The best-paying state is Massachusetts at $97,690; the lowest North Carolina at $36,290. Among metropolitan areas, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ pays the highest median, $108,350. Wages are as published by BLS for May of each year; '≥ $239,200' is BLS's top code. Every value links to its fact record.
United States, year by year
Annual wages at the median, mean and four percentiles; employment is the May estimate.
| Reference | Employment | Median | Mean | 10th | 25th | 75th | 90th | Median hourly | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | 12,460 | $65,480 | $63,170 | $43,750 | $51,730 | $70,130 | $80,840 | $31.48 | evidence → |
| May 2023 | 13,610 | $63,540 | $62,840 | $44,350 | $57,220 | $67,540 | $78,120 | $30.55 | evidence → |
By state
Median annual wage, May 2024, highest first. Each state has its own record with the full series.
| State | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $97,690 | 140 |
| New Jersey | $79,990 | 90 |
| Iowa | $77,150 | 330 |
| Nebraska | $70,450 | 350 |
| Texas | $69,840 | 2,050 |
| Colorado | $69,040 | 250 |
| Maryland | $66,680 | 90 |
| Missouri | $65,480 | 540 |
| Kansas | $65,370 | 460 |
| New Mexico | $65,240 | 140 |
| Wisconsin | $65,150 | 90 |
| Florida | $64,290 | 170 |
| West Virginia | $62,480 | 110 |
| Indiana | $61,650 | — |
| Washington | $61,210 | 390 |
| Illinois | $60,130 | 1,410 |
| Mississippi | $59,690 | 50 |
| California | $57,720 | 1,200 |
| Kentucky | $56,090 | 260 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,990 | 360 |
| Alabama | $48,460 | 300 |
| Wyoming | $48,420 | 350 |
| Ohio | $48,410 | 140 |
| North Carolina | $36,290 | 50 |
Highest-paying metropolitan areas
Top 20 by median annual wage.
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $108,350 | 70 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $76,860 | 50 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $61,360 | 40 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $57,390 | 600 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $54,230 | 270 |
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