Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers Wages
SOC 53-4022 • Full occupation profile
The median annual wage for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers is $63,540 nationally (2023 BLS OEWS). The 10th percentile is $44,350 and the 90th percentile is $78,120, showing the wide spread of wages in this occupation.
National Wage Distribution (2023)
Employment
13,610
P10
$44,350
P25
$57,220
Median
$63,540
P75
$67,540
P90
$78,120
National Wage Trend
How national median and mean wages for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers have moved across BLS OEWS release years.
| Year | Median | Mean | P10 | P90 | Employment | YoY Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $63,540 | $62,840 | $44,350 | $78,120 | 13,610 | — |
| 2022 | $67,540 | $64,810 | $43,830 | $79,580 | 14,210 | +6.3% |
| 2021 | $63,840 | $63,050 | $44,260 | $80,400 | 16,200 | -5.48% |
| 2020 | $57,870 | $55,890 | $35,430 | $73,620 | 14,630 | -9.35% |
Wages by State (2023)
State-level OEWS wage estimates for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers. The highest median is in Massachusetts at $82,490, 30% above the U.S. median.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Mean Annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $82,490 | +29.8% | $82,160 | 320 |
| North Carolina | $79,050 | +24.4% | $68,890 | 130 |
| New York | $78,770 | +24% | $92,470 | 230 |
| Montana | $78,230 | +23.1% | $76,120 | 180 |
| New Jersey | $76,800 | +20.9% | $72,470 | 180 |
| Mississippi | $73,420 | +15.5% | $64,150 | 120 |
| Illinois | $68,940 | +8.5% | $66,870 | 1,460 |
| Nebraska | $67,540 | +6.3% | $64,590 | 440 |
| Arizona | $67,030 | +5.5% | $65,670 | 210 |
| Texas | $66,950 | +5.4% | $58,630 | 1,860 |
| Colorado | $66,610 | +4.8% | $66,090 | 230 |
| Maryland | $66,510 | +4.7% | $67,310 | 70 |
| Washington | $66,100 | +4% | $71,710 | 310 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,880 | +0.5% | $60,660 | 330 |
| Ohio | $63,780 | +0.4% | $59,980 | 450 |
| Florida | $63,260 | -0.4% | $59,550 | 90 |
| Missouri | $62,770 | -1.2% | $61,950 | 530 |
| Wisconsin | $62,480 | -1.7% | $60,890 | 120 |
| West Virginia | $62,320 | -1.9% | $56,990 | 120 |
| California | $59,820 | -5.9% | $57,910 | 1,220 |
| Louisiana | $59,560 | -6.3% | $57,890 | 380 |
| Indiana | $52,990 | -16.6% | $65,060 | 40 |
| South Carolina | $52,030 | -18.1% | $59,810 | 40 |
| Alabama | $48,940 | -23% | $52,020 | 390 |
| Wyoming | $48,770 | -23.2% | $51,840 | 270 |
| Michigan | $48,320 | -24% | $53,800 | 180 |
| Arkansas | — | — | — | 270 |