Rail Car Repairer Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Rail Car Repairers — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$67,530
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$32.47
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$95,100
entry level starts ~$46,800
Pay Grade
B
solid pay · 21,000 employed

How much does a Rail Car Repairer make?

A Rail Car Repairer earns a median annual salary of $67,530 in the United States, which works out to roughly $32.47 per hour for full-time work. Most Rail Car Repairers earn between $46,800 at the entry level and $95,100 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $54,520 and $84,570 a year.

That is $6,140 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Rail Car Repairer salary range by percentile

Half of all Rail Car Repairers earn between $54,520 and $84,570 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$46,800$22.50
25th percentile (early career)$54,520$26.21
50th percentile (median)$67,530$32.47
75th percentile (experienced)$84,570$40.66
90th percentile (top earners)$95,100$45.72

Highest-paying states for Rail Car Repairer

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Massachusetts leads the country for Rail Car Repairer pay at $108,680 a year, followed by Maryland ($89,430) and Oregon ($87,470). At the other end, Mississippi posts the lowest median at $47,480 — a gap of $61,200 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1Massachusetts$108,680$52.25+61%
2Maryland$89,430$43.00+32%
3Oregon$87,470$42.05+30%
4Colorado$86,630$41.65+28%
5Idaho$85,420$41.07+26%

Workforce and education

About 21,000 people work as Rail Car Repairers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $70,680 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Rail Car Repairer make in the United States?
The median Rail Car Repairer salary in the United States is $67,530 per year, or about $32.47 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $46,800, while the top 10% of earners make $95,100 or more.
How does Rail Car Repairer pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of B (solid pay), the Rail Car Repairer median of $67,530 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Rail Car Repairers the most?
Massachusetts is the highest-paying state for Rail Car Repairers, with a median salary of $108,680 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become a Rail Car Repairer?
Becoming a Rail Car Repairer typically requires a high school diploma. A high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job.
How many Rail Car Repairers work in the United States?
About 21,000 people were employed as Rail Car Repairers in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.