Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators (SOC 47-4061) earn a median $70,070 a year ($33.69 an hour) in the United States, with 19,580 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Massachusetts.
What rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators do
Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators build, repair and maintain track that carries standard or narrow-gauge railroad equipment, whether in regular railroad service or at plant yards, quarries, gravel and sand pits, and mines. The SOC definition includes ballast cleaning machine operators and railroad bed tamping machine operators. Operators run spike driving machines, with one head or several, that sink spikes into ties to hold the rails, use track wrenches to tighten or loosen bolts at rail joints, and cut rails to length with rail saws. They watch leveling indicator arms to confirm that track is level and aligned. Maintenance involves patrolling assigned track sections to find and report damaged or broken track, repairing or adjusting track switches with wrenches and replacement parts, and welding sections of track such as switch points and frogs. Machines are kept running by lubricating them, changing oil and filling hydraulic reservoirs to the specified levels.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or the equivalent as the education needed.
Also called: Ballast Cleaning Machine Operator, Emergency Service Restorer, Machine Operator, Maintenance Laborer, Oil Distributor Tender.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $21.94 | $24.65 | $33.69 | $39.27 | $42.03 | $33.05 | 19,580 |
| Annual | $45,640 | $51,280 | $70,070 | $81,670 | $87,420 | $68,740 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $29.60 | $32.78 | $45.35 | $48.73 | $48.73 | $40.68 | 570 | 0.16 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $61,570 | $68,180 | $94,330 | $101,350 | $101,350 | $84,610 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $29.85 | $38.60 | $44.25 | $48.31 | $48.31 | $43.74 | 320 | 0.12 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $62,090 | $80,290 | $92,030 | $100,490 | $100,490 | $90,980 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $28.16 | $33.69 | $41.90 | $41.90 | $42.03 | $38.30 | 3,590 | 0.37 | 2.94 |
| Annual | $58,580 | $70,070 | $87,150 | $87,150 | $87,420 | $79,670 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $28.76 | $30.07 | $40.75 | $40.75 | $44.36 | $38.13 | 360 | 0.09 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $59,820 | $62,540 | $84,750 | $84,750 | $92,270 | $79,300 | ||||
| New Mexico | Hourly | $22.19 | $27.89 | $40.08 | $40.10 | $43.48 | $34.66 | 80 | 0.10 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $46,160 | $58,020 | $83,370 | $83,400 | $90,440 | $72,100 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $28.16 | $33.69 | $41.90 | $41.90 | $42.03 | $38.30 | 3,590 | 0.37 | 2.94 |
| Annual | $58,580 | $70,070 | $87,150 | $87,150 | $87,420 | $79,670 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $24.76 | $30.29 | $37.94 | $40.26 | $44.47 | $38.14 | 1,190 | 0.20 | 1.55 |
| Annual | $51,500 | $63,010 | $78,910 | $83,740 | $92,500 | $79,340 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $21.72 | $23.04 | $23.07 | $24.89 | $33.16 | $25.14 | 1,130 | 0.20 | 1.61 |
| Annual | $45,180 | $47,920 | $47,980 | $51,780 | $68,970 | $52,280 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $20.89 | $22.87 | $27.15 | $33.96 | $34.09 | $28.36 | 940 | 0.07 | 0.53 |
| Annual | $43,460 | $47,580 | $56,470 | $70,630 | $70,910 | $58,990 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $22.84 | $27.26 | $28.75 | $39.25 | $39.34 | $31.53 | 830 | 0.14 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $47,500 | $56,700 | $59,800 | $81,630 | $81,820 | $65,580 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | Hourly | $22.83 | $29.85 | $42.03 | $44.67 | $45.12 | $37.24 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.27 |
| Annual | $47,490 | $62,080 | $87,410 | $92,910 | $93,840 | $77,450 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $28.16 | $33.69 | $41.90 | $41.90 | $41.90 | $38.59 | 2,710 | 0.29 | 2.27 |
| Annual | $58,580 | $70,070 | $87,150 | $87,150 | $87,150 | $80,270 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $30.74 | $30.74 | $40.98 | $45.35 | $46.07 | $38.28 | 280 | 0.10 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $63,940 | $63,940 | $85,240 | $94,330 | $95,830 | $79,620 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $22.89 | $30.72 | $36.19 | $41.39 | $44.42 | $36.95 | 90 | 0.01 | 0.11 |
| Annual | $47,610 | $63,890 | $75,280 | $86,080 | $92,390 | $76,850 | ||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | $22.03 | $28.68 | $31.28 | $41.46 | $41.46 | $33.04 | 130 | 0.08 | 0.62 |
| Annual | $45,820 | $59,660 | $65,060 | $86,240 | $86,240 | $68,710 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $28.16 | $33.69 | $41.90 | $41.90 | $41.90 | $38.59 | 2,710 | 0.29 | 2.27 |
| Annual | $58,580 | $70,070 | $87,150 | $87,150 | $87,150 | $80,270 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $30.74 | $30.74 | $40.98 | $45.35 | $46.07 | $38.28 | 280 | 0.10 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $63,940 | $63,940 | $85,240 | $94,330 | $95,830 | $79,620 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $24.67 | $28.33 | $28.90 | $37.94 | $37.94 | $32.09 | 220 | 0.05 | 0.39 |
| Annual | $51,320 | $58,920 | $60,120 | $78,910 | $78,910 | $66,750 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $18.58 | $21.54 | $25.44 | $26.27 | $35.65 | $25.47 | 180 | 0.05 | 0.43 |
| Annual | $38,640 | $44,790 | $52,900 | $54,630 | $74,160 | $52,970 | ||||
| Pittsburgh, PA | Hourly | $25.56 | $28.54 | $28.55 | $38.18 | $38.18 | $31.46 | 160 | 0.14 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $53,160 | $59,370 | $59,390 | $79,420 | $79,420 | $65,440 | ||||
Top industries employing rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators
Rail Transportation employ 63.1% of rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators nationally (12,360 jobs) at a median $70,950 a year ($34.11 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (19.2%) and Support Activities for Rail Transportation (7.9%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rail Transportation NAICS 482100 | 12,360 | 63.1% | $70,950 | $34.11 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 3,750 | 19.2% | $85,210 | $40.97 |
| Support Activities for Rail Transportation NAICS 488200 | 1,540 | 7.9% | $50,140 | $24.10 |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction NAICS 237900 | 1,230 | 6.3% | $48,040 | $23.10 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 300 | 1.5% | $85,240 | $40.98 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (19,580). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $61,690 for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators in May 2021 and $70,070 in May 2025, with employment of 21,030 and 19,580.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $61,690 | $29.66 | 21,030 |
| May 2022 | $63,230 | $30.40 | 18,600 |
| May 2023 | $67,000 | $32.21 | 18,770 |
| May 2024 | $67,370 | $32.39 | 16,480 |
| May 2025 | $70,070 | $33.69 | 19,580 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
40 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts profile | $45.35 | $94,330 | $61,570 | $101,350 | 570 | 0.16 | 1.24 |
| 2 | Maryland profile | $44.25 | $92,030 | $62,090 | $100,490 | 320 | 0.12 | 0.91 |
| 3 | New York profile | $41.90 | $87,150 | $58,580 | $87,420 | 3,590 | 0.37 | 2.94 |
| 4 | Virginia profile | $40.75 | $84,750 | $59,820 | $92,270 | 360 | 0.09 | 0.70 |
| 5 | New Mexico profile | $40.08 | $83,370 | $46,160 | $90,440 | 80 | 0.10 | 0.77 |
| 6 | Delaware profile | $38.75 | $80,610 | $43,620 | $92,150 | 130 | 0.27 | 2.17 |
| 7 | Montana profile | $38.06 | $79,170 | $51,400 | $80,440 | 200 | 0.39 | 3.13 |
| 8 | Idaho profile | $37.99 | $79,020 | $48,570 | $81,820 | 90 | 0.10 | 0.79 |
| 9 | Illinois profile | $37.94 | $78,910 | $51,500 | $92,500 | 1,190 | 0.20 | 1.55 |
| 10 | Indiana profile | $37.51 | $78,020 | $58,170 | $82,100 | 320 | 0.10 | 0.79 |
| 11 | Arizona profile | $36.84 | $76,620 | $45,590 | $89,530 | 170 | 0.05 | 0.41 |
| 12 | Michigan profile | $36.27 | $75,450 | $46,590 | $91,480 | 290 | 0.07 | 0.53 |
| 13 | Kentucky profile | $35.16 | $73,120 | $46,650 | $73,200 | 270 | 0.14 | 1.08 |
| 14 | South Carolina profile | $34.51 | $71,770 | $41,030 | $76,150 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.11 |
| 15 | Wyoming profile | $34.41 | $71,580 | $48,830 | $79,810 | 220 | 0.80 | 6.35 |
| 16 | California profile | $34.22 | $71,170 | $45,820 | $86,240 | 770 | 0.04 | 0.34 |
| 17 | New Jersey profile | $31.99 | $66,540 | $53,590 | $107,830 | 230 | 0.05 | 0.42 |
| 18 | Tennessee profile | $31.92 | $66,390 | $47,700 | $78,430 | 260 | 0.08 | 0.62 |
| 19 | South Dakota profile | $31.01 | $64,500 | $47,890 | $73,150 | 110 | 0.25 | 1.96 |
| 20 | Missouri profile | $30.96 | $64,390 | $47,160 | $71,500 | 410 | 0.14 | 1.10 |
| 21 | Colorado profile | $30.91 | $64,300 | $39,790 | $84,850 | 300 | 0.10 | 0.83 |
| 22 | Utah profile | $30.38 | $63,190 | $52,110 | $83,310 | 60 | 0.04 | 0.28 |
| 23 | Georgia profile | $30.30 | $63,010 | $40,150 | $78,290 | 710 | 0.14 | 1.15 |
| 24 | Oklahoma profile | $29.74 | $61,860 | $47,450 | $79,650 | 310 | 0.18 | 1.46 |
| 25 | Florida profile | $29.43 | $61,220 | $45,100 | $62,850 | 490 | 0.05 | 0.39 |
| 26 | Arkansas profile | $28.96 | $60,230 | $48,420 | $70,830 | 150 | 0.11 | 0.89 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania profile | $28.75 | $59,800 | $47,500 | $81,820 | 830 | 0.14 | 1.09 |
| 28 | Washington profile | $28.24 | $58,740 | $51,280 | $73,620 | 500 | 0.14 | 1.11 |
| 29 | Kansas profile | $28.17 | $58,590 | $49,300 | $71,890 | 310 | 0.22 | 1.71 |
| 30 | Nevada profile | $27.28 | $56,740 | $45,180 | $73,810 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.21 |
| 31 | West Virginia profile | $27.24 | $56,660 | $46,940 | $71,010 | 270 | 0.38 | 3.02 |
| 32 | Texas profile | $27.15 | $56,470 | $43,460 | $70,910 | 940 | 0.07 | 0.53 |
| 33 | Oregon profile | $24.49 | $50,930 | $41,430 | $85,080 | 190 | 0.10 | 0.75 |
| 34 | Minnesota profile | $23.86 | $49,640 | $45,090 | $85,120 | 760 | 0.26 | 2.05 |
| 35 | Ohio profile | $23.07 | $47,980 | $45,180 | $68,970 | 1,130 | 0.20 | 1.61 |
| 36 | Wisconsin profile | $23.04 | $47,920 | $47,850 | $72,820 | 180 | 0.06 | 0.49 |
| 37 | North Carolina profile | $22.93 | $47,700 | $39,560 | $75,980 | 270 | 0.06 | 0.44 |
| 38 | Iowa profile | $21.94 | $45,640 | $32,010 | $81,440 | 200 | 0.13 | 1.04 |
| 39 | Louisiana profile | $21.23 | $44,150 | $40,480 | $55,710 | ** | ** | ** |
| – | Mississippi profile | * | * | * | * | 310 | 0.26 | 2.09 |
Part of Construction and Extraction Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 47-4061 Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 47-4061, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 47-4061.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.