Rail Car Repairers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for rail car repairerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $70,680 ≈ $34/hr
National median salary $67,530
Total employment 21,350 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +2.8%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 1,500 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 17,900 → 18,400 (+500)
Typical entry education High school diploma or equivalent
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Massachusetts$101,040
- Maryland$86,590
- New York$84,170
- Colorado$82,940
- Delaware$80,070
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- West Virginia$52,940
- Louisiana$53,550
- Alabama$55,560
- North Carolina$56,150
- Arkansas$56,390
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $101,040 | $108,680 | $49 | +43% | 770 |
| 2 | Maryland | $86,590 | $89,430 | $42 | +22.5% | 560 |
| 3 | New York | $84,170 | $84,580 | $40 | +19.1% | 1,730 |
| 4 | Colorado | $82,940 | $86,630 | $40 | +17.3% | 250 |
| 5 | Delaware | $80,070 | $78,900 | $39 | +13.3% | 130 |
| 6 | Illinois | $79,540 | $84,570 | $38 | +12.5% | 1,850 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $78,940 | $78,750 | $38 | +11.7% | 410 |
| 8 | Oregon | $78,650 | $87,470 | $38 | +11.3% | 230 |
| 9 | Utah | $78,560 | $83,980 | $38 | +11.1% | 100 |
| 10 | California | $75,020 | $68,370 | $36 | +6.1% | 700 |
| 11 | Virginia | $73,670 | $83,720 | $35 | +4.2% | 210 |
| 12 | Idaho | $72,910 | $85,420 | $35 | +3.2% | 110 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $71,910 | $77,800 | $35 | +1.7% | 170 |
| 14 | New Mexico | $71,610 | $67,550 | $34 | +1.3% | 120 |
| 15 | Arizona | $71,210 | $81,230 | $34 | +0.7% | 170 |
| 16 | Georgia | $70,330 | $64,230 | $34 | -0.5% | 980 |
| 17 | South Dakota | $69,030 | $71,750 | $33 | -2.3% | 90 |
| 18 | Maine | $67,300 | $60,090 | $32 | -4.8% | 70 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $65,670 | $62,350 | $32 | -7.1% | 970 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | $64,130 | $60,540 | $31 | -9.3% | 90 |
| 21 | Washington | $63,880 | $63,410 | $31 | -9.6% | 180 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $63,790 | $60,090 | $31 | -9.7% | 320 |
| 23 | Indiana | $63,340 | $60,490 | $30 | -10.4% | 670 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $62,880 | $58,870 | $30 | -11% | 220 |
| 25 | Iowa | $62,280 | $60,550 | $30 | -11.9% | 340 |
| 26 | Michigan | $62,180 | $64,370 | $30 | -12% | 370 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $61,980 | $59,040 | $30 | -12.3% | 250 |
| 28 | Missouri | $61,780 | $68,290 | $30 | -12.6% | 220 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $60,630 | $59,430 | $29 | -14.2% | 770 |
| 30 | Texas | $59,740 | $59,330 | $29 | -15.5% | 2,690 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $58,460 | $47,480 | $28 | -17.3% | 320 |
| 32 | Florida | $57,750 | $62,260 | $28 | -18.3% | 410 |
| 33 | Nevada | $57,730 | $48,100 | $28 | -18.3% | 50 |
| 34 | Kansas | $57,580 | $48,160 | $28 | -18.5% | 300 |
| 35 | Ohio | $56,590 | $53,480 | $27 | -19.9% | 690 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $56,390 | $53,810 | $27 | -20.2% | 340 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $56,150 | $47,880 | $27 | -20.6% | 350 |
| 38 | Alabama | $55,560 | $58,080 | $27 | -21.4% | 280 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $53,550 | $47,970 | $26 | -24.2% | 190 |
| 40 | West Virginia | $52,940 | $50,800 | $25 | -25.1% | 100 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 25 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $103,540 | $93,690 | 250 |
| 2 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $92,250 | $86,410 | 800 |
| 3 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $89,430 | $80,150 | 230 |
| 4 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $87,470 | $86,150 | 150 |
| 5 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $76,870 | $70,080 | 70 |
| 6 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $62,250 | $67,570 | 570 |
| 7 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $61,120 | $64,630 | 90 |
| 8 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $59,820 | $57,780 | 370 |
| 9 | Pittsburgh, PA | $59,810 | $64,550 | 90 |
| 10 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $59,310 | $57,160 | 790 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing rail car repairerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $92,250 | $91,530 | 2,240 |
| 2 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $92,250 | $91,290 | 2,250 |
| 3 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $92,250 | $89,710 | 1,590 |
| 4 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $92,250 | $89,710 | 1,590 |
| 5 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $92,250 | $91,530 | 2,240 |
| 6 | State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $92,230 | $96,040 | 640 |
| 7 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $92,230 | $95,140 | 660 |
| 8 | Rail Transportation | $80,320 | $77,330 | 11,110 |
| 9 | Rail Transportation | $80,320 | $77,330 | 11,110 |
| 10 | Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation | $74,090 | $74,500 | 100 |
| 11 | Urban Transit Systems | $74,090 | $74,500 | 100 |
| 12 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $67,530 | $70,680 | 21,350 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do rail car repairers make in the U.S.?
The median rail car repairers salary in the United States is $67,530 per year (mean $70,680), and about 80% earn between $46,800 and $95,100.
How much do rail car repairers make per hour?
Roughly $34 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $70,680 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays rail car repairers the most?
Massachusetts has the highest average pay for rail car repairers at $101,040 per year (median $108,680).
What is the job outlook for rail car repairers?
Employment is projected to change +2.8% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 1,500 openings per year.