Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers in the U.S. is $68,840 ($33.10 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $68,840
- Mean annual wage
- $69,030
- Median hourly wage
- $33.10
- Employment
- 12,400
12,400 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $45,660 | $21.95 |
| 25th percentile | $57,820 | $27.80 |
| Median (50th) | $68,840 | $33.10 |
| 75th percentile | $76,590 | $36.82 |
| 90th percentile | $86,590 | $41.63 |
Highest-paying states for railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $85,140 | 740 |
| New York | $83,530 | 220 |
| Iowa | $80,910 | 220 |
| Maryland | $79,180 | 100 |
| Illinois | $76,290 | 1,210 |
| Colorado | $76,140 | — |
| Georgia | $75,540 | 250 |
| New Jersey | $74,160 | 70 |
| New Mexico | $72,340 | 100 |
| Texas | $71,580 | 1,650 |
Lowest-paying states
- Wyoming: $45,490 median annual wage
- West Virginia: $46,900 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $54,260 median annual wage
- North Carolina: $54,810 median annual wage
- Pennsylvania: $55,470 median annual wage
About this occupation
Operate or monitor railroad track switches or locomotive instruments. May couple or uncouple rolling stock to make up or break up trains. Watch for and relay traffic signals. May inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and hand brakes. May watch for dragging equipment or obstacles on rights-of-way.
Typical tasks
- Record numbers of cars available, numbers of cars sent to repair stations, and types of service needed.
- Inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and handbrakes to ensure that they are securely fastened and functioning properly.
- Operate locomotives in emergency situations.
- Signal locomotive engineers to start or stop trains when coupling or uncoupling cars, using hand signals, lanterns, or radio communication.
- Observe signals from other crew members so that work activities can be coordinated.
- Signal other workers to set brakes and to throw track switches when switching cars from trains to way stations.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 2.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 39.0% |
| Some college, no degree | 34.6% |
| Associate's degree | 9.0% |
| Bachelor's degree | 12.9% |
| Master's degree | 1.4% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.5% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,240
- Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,640
- Light Truck Drivers$44,860
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$46,420
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$62,890
- Packers and Packagers, Hand$36,280
- Driver/Sales Workers$38,770
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.