SOC 53-4022 · Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries
Nationally, railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers earned a median of $68,840 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 12,400 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.
National pay distribution
Pay by state
Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
| State | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $85,140 | $40.93 | 740 | 0.2 |
| New York | $83,530 | $40.16 | 220 | 0.0 |
| Iowa | $80,910 | $38.90 | 220 | 0.1 |
| Maryland | $79,180 | $38.07 | 100 | 0.0 |
| Illinois | $76,290 | $36.68 | 1,210 | 0.2 |
| Colorado | $76,140 | $36.60 | Not published | Not published |
| Georgia | $75,540 | $36.32 | 250 | 0.1 |
| New Jersey | $74,160 | $35.65 | 70 | 0.0 |
| New Mexico | $72,340 | $34.78 | 100 | 0.1 |
| Texas | $71,580 | $34.41 | 1,650 | 0.1 |
| Ohio | $67,770 | $32.58 | 280 | 0.1 |
| Missouri | $67,110 | $32.26 | 730 | 0.2 |
| Kansas | $66,990 | $32.21 | 390 | 0.3 |
| Michigan | $66,970 | $32.20 | 190 | 0.0 |
| Indiana | $64,530 | $31.02 | 160 | 0.1 |
| California | $58,770 | $28.25 | 1,340 | 0.1 |
| Florida | $58,250 | $28.00 | 130 | 0.0 |
| Kentucky | $56,410 | $27.12 | 170 | 0.1 |
| Alabama | $56,050 | $26.95 | 240 | 0.1 |
| Pennsylvania | $55,470 | $26.67 | 350 | 0.1 |
| North Carolina | $54,810 | $26.35 | 110 | 0.0 |
| Louisiana | $54,260 | $26.09 | 210 | 0.1 |
| West Virginia | $46,900 | $22.55 | 120 | 0.2 |
| Wyoming | $45,490 | $21.87 | 400 | 1.4 |
Pay by metro area
All 5 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.
| Metro area | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $132,190 | $63.56 | 40 | 0.0 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $111,050 | $53.39 | 60 | 0.0 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $72,180 | $34.70 | 560 | 0.1 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $53,960 | $25.94 | 50 | 0.1 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $47,750 | $22.96 | 270 | 0.1 |
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.