53 Series · SOC 53-4022
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $68,840
- Median / year
- $86,590
- Top 10% earn
- +1%
- Growth '23–'33
- 12,400
- US workers
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers earn a median of $68,840 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $68,840, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $45,660 (10th percentile) to $86,590 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 12,400 US workers. Washington pays the most ($85,140), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers earn a median of $68,840, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 61% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks #12 of 50 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 1% by 2033.
- $68,840
- Median annual wage
- Top 39%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #12 of 50
- in Transportation and Material Moving
- 1.9×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Washington at $85,140. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers (SOC 53-4022) pays a national median of $68,840 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $45,660 at the 10th percentile to $86,590 at the 90th, with a mean of $69,030 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 12,400 Americans work in this occupation across 24 reporting states and 7 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,000 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of C for this role, with a fatality rate of 17.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 4.8 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Washington pays the highest state median at $85,140, which is +24% above the national figure. The top metro is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $132,190 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$68,840
per year
Median Hourly
$33.10/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$69,030
average
Employment
12,400
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$68,840 Top 39% higher than 61% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 53-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 53-series occupations with growth data, Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers sits on the slower-growing side at +1% growth and $68,840 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+1%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
1,000
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Moderate Risk
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
17.5/100K
Injury Rate
4.8/100
Danger Index
28/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Observe train signals along routes and verify their meanings for engineers.
- ▸ Signal locomotive engineers to start or stop trains when coupling or uncoupling cars, using hand signals, lanterns, or radio communication.
- ▸ Operate and drive locomotives, diesel switch engines, dinkey engines, flatcars, and railcars in train yards and at industrial sites.
- ▸ Pull or push track switches to reroute cars.
- ▸ Observe signals from other crew members so that work activities can be coordinated.
- ▸ Monitor trains as they go around curves to detect dragging equipment and smoking journal boxes.
- ▸ Inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and handbrakes to ensure that they are securely fastened and functioning properly.
- ▸ Observe tracks from left sides of locomotives to detect obstructions on tracks.
- ▸ Operate locomotives in emergency situations.
- ▸ Raise levers to couple and uncouple cars for makeup and breakup of trains.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$45,660
25th Percentile
$57,820
Median
$68,840
75th Percentile
$76,590
90th Percentile
$86,590
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 24 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $85,140 | +24% above national |
| 2 | New York | $83,530 | +21% above national |
| 3 | Iowa | $80,910 | +18% above national |
| 4 | Maryland | $79,180 | +15% above national |
| 5 | Illinois | $76,290 | +11% above national |
| 6 | Colorado | $76,140 | +11% above national |
| 7 | Georgia | $75,540 | +10% above national |
| 8 | New Jersey | $74,160 | +8% above national |
| 9 | New Mexico | $72,340 | +5% above national |
| 10 | Texas | $71,580 | +4% above national |
| 11 | Ohio | $67,770 | 2% below national |
| 12 | Missouri | $67,110 | 3% below national |
| 13 | Kansas | $66,990 | 3% below national |
| 14 | Michigan | $66,970 | 3% below national |
| 15 | Indiana | $64,530 | 6% below national |
| 16 | California | $58,770 | 15% below national |
| 17 | Florida | $58,250 | 15% below national |
| 18 | Kentucky | $56,410 | 18% below national |
| 19 | Alabama | $56,050 | 19% below national |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $55,470 | 19% below national |
| 21 | North Carolina | $54,810 | 20% below national |
| 22 | Louisiana | $54,260 | 21% below national |
| 23 | West Virginia | $46,900 | 32% below national |
| 24 | Wyoming | $45,490 | 34% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 7 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $132,190 | +92% above national |
| 2 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $111,050 | +61% above national |
| 3 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $72,180 | +5% above national |
| 4 | Baton Rouge, LA | $53,960 | 22% below national |
| 5 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $53,700 | 22% below national |
| 6 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $47,750 | 31% below national |
| 7 | Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $45,140 | 34% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 53 (transportation and material moving) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers make? ▼
What state pays Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers? ▼
Is Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers a good career? ▼
How does Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $76,590/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Washington leads at $85,140/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.