Rail Car Repairers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for rail car repairers in the U.S. is $67,530 ($32.46 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $67,530
- Mean annual wage
- $70,680
- Median hourly wage
- $32.46
- Employment
- 21,350
21,350 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $46,800 | $22.50 |
| 25th percentile | $54,520 | $26.21 |
| Median (50th) | $67,530 | $32.46 |
| 75th percentile | $84,570 | $40.66 |
| 90th percentile | $95,100 | $45.72 |
Highest-paying states for rail car repairers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $108,680 | 770 |
| Maryland | $89,430 | 560 |
| Oregon | $87,470 | 230 |
| Colorado | $86,630 | 250 |
| Idaho | $85,420 | 110 |
| New York | $84,580 | 1,730 |
| Illinois | $84,570 | 1,850 |
| Utah | $83,980 | 100 |
| Virginia | $83,720 | 210 |
| Arizona | $81,230 | 170 |
Lowest-paying states
- Mississippi: $47,480 median annual wage
- North Carolina: $47,880 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $47,970 median annual wage
- Nevada: $48,100 median annual wage
- Kansas: $48,160 median annual wage
About this occupation
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul railroad rolling stock, mine cars, or mass transit rail cars.
Typical tasks
- Repair, fabricate, and install steel or wood fittings, using blueprints, shop sketches, and instruction manuals.
- Disassemble units such as water pumps, control valves, and compressors so that repairs can be made.
- Replace defective wiring and insulation, and tighten electrical connections, using hand tools.
- Repair or replace defective or worn parts such as bearings, pistons, and gears, using hand tools, torque wrenches, power tools, and welding equipment.
- Remove locomotives, car mechanical units, or other components, using pneumatic hoists and jacks, pinch bars, hand tools, and cutting torches.
- Examine car roofs for wear and damage, and repair defective sections, using roofing material, cement, nails, and waterproof paint.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 12.1% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 44.2% |
| Some college, no degree | 22.8% |
| Associate's degree | 15.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 4.3% |
| Master's degree | 0.3% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.4% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
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- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$50,620
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers$79,860
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics$64,520
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers$61,010
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$61,770
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$65,510
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$49,230
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.