Rail Transportation Workers, All Other
Rail Transportation Workers, All Other (SOC 53-4099) earn a median $56,360 a year ($27.10 an hour) in the United States, with 1,120 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What rail transportation workers, all other do
This code is a catch-all for rail transportation workers whose duties are not covered by the other railroad codes. The SOC definition is only that it covers all rail transportation workers not listed separately, so the occupation is defined by exclusion. O*NET lists titles that show the range: ballast cleaning operator, ballast regulator operator, block operator, car barn laborer, car retarder operator, control tower operator, hostler helper, hot box checker, and interlocker. Because the code collects many small specialized jobs, tasks differ widely and no single list of duties applies; the O*NET data used here lists no core tasks or education breakdown for it. The common ground is that these jobs support rail operations without falling into the named rail occupations: locomotive engineers, rail yard engineers and hostlers, brake, signal, and switch operators, railroad conductors and yardmasters, or subway and streetcar operators. Anyone comparing occupations should check those codes first before settling on this one.
Also called: Ballast Cleaning Operator, Ballast Regulator Operator, Block Operator, Car Barn Laborer, Car Retarder Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $19.27 | $22.87 | $27.10 | $35.62 | $39.99 | $28.91 | 1,120 |
| Annual | $40,080 | $47,570 | $56,360 | $74,090 | $83,190 | $60,140 | ||
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 transportation workers, all other 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 | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $38.04 | $38.04 | $41.66 | $44.60 | $45.38 | $40.96 | 90 | 0.03 | 3.59 |
| Annual | $79,120 | $79,120 | $86,650 | $92,760 | $94,390 | $85,200 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $24.05 | $27.23 | $37.74 | $37.74 | $46.19 | $34.60 | 50 | 0.01 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $50,030 | $56,640 | $78,500 | $78,500 | $96,080 | $71,980 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $21.90 | $22.85 | $29.02 | $33.28 | $37.31 | $29.33 | 230 | 0.01 | 1.79 |
| Annual | $45,550 | $47,520 | $60,360 | $69,230 | $77,600 | $61,000 | ||||
| Tennessee | Hourly | $21.55 | $23.40 | $23.40 | $29.41 | $31.46 | $26.07 | 110 | 0.04 | 4.82 |
| Annual | $44,830 | $48,660 | $48,660 | $61,160 | $65,430 | $54,220 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $10.52 | $10.87 | $20.75 | $24.20 | $28.72 | $19.31 | 120 | 0.01 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $21,880 | $22,610 | $43,150 | $50,340 | $59,740 | $40,160 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $21.90 | $22.85 | $29.02 | $33.28 | $37.31 | $29.33 | 230 | 0.01 | 1.79 |
| Annual | $45,550 | $47,520 | $60,360 | $69,230 | $77,600 | $61,000 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $10.52 | $10.87 | $20.75 | $24.20 | $28.72 | $19.31 | 120 | 0.01 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $21,880 | $22,610 | $43,150 | $50,340 | $59,740 | $40,160 | ||||
| Tennessee | Hourly | $21.55 | $23.40 | $23.40 | $29.41 | $31.46 | $26.07 | 110 | 0.04 | 4.82 |
| Annual | $44,830 | $48,660 | $48,660 | $61,160 | $65,430 | $54,220 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $38.04 | $38.04 | $41.66 | $44.60 | $45.38 | $40.96 | 90 | 0.03 | 3.59 |
| Annual | $79,120 | $79,120 | $86,650 | $92,760 | $94,390 | $85,200 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $24.05 | $27.23 | $37.74 | $37.74 | $46.19 | $34.60 | 50 | 0.01 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $50,030 | $56,640 | $78,500 | $78,500 | $96,080 | $71,980 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $38.04 | $38.04 | $38.04 | $44.60 | $46.20 | $39.98 | 60 | 0.03 | 3.79 |
| Annual | $79,120 | $79,120 | $79,120 | $92,760 | $96,090 | $83,150 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $22.85 | $22.85 | $32.81 | $33.28 | $33.74 | $29.99 | 160 | 0.03 | 3.52 |
| Annual | $47,520 | $47,520 | $68,250 | $69,230 | $70,180 | $62,390 | ||||
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | Hourly | $18.97 | $23.40 | $23.40 | $23.40 | $31.46 | $24.90 | 60 | 0.06 | 7.69 |
| Annual | $39,460 | $48,660 | $48,660 | $48,660 | $65,430 | $51,780 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $10.52 | $10.52 | $19.36 | $24.78 | $28.75 | $18.39 | 60 | 0.02 | 2.57 |
| Annual | $21,880 | $21,880 | $40,270 | $51,550 | $59,800 | $38,240 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $22.85 | $22.85 | $32.81 | $33.28 | $33.74 | $29.99 | 160 | 0.03 | 3.52 |
| Annual | $47,520 | $47,520 | $68,250 | $69,230 | $70,180 | $62,390 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $10.52 | $10.52 | $19.36 | $24.78 | $28.75 | $18.39 | 60 | 0.02 | 2.57 |
| Annual | $21,880 | $21,880 | $40,270 | $51,550 | $59,800 | $38,240 | ||||
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | Hourly | $18.97 | $23.40 | $23.40 | $23.40 | $31.46 | $24.90 | 60 | 0.06 | 7.69 |
| Annual | $39,460 | $48,660 | $48,660 | $48,660 | $65,430 | $51,780 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $38.04 | $38.04 | $38.04 | $44.60 | $46.20 | $39.98 | 60 | 0.03 | 3.79 |
| Annual | $79,120 | $79,120 | $79,120 | $92,760 | $96,090 | $83,150 | ||||
Top industries employing rail transportation workers, all other
Support Activities for Rail Transportation employ 29.5% of rail transportation workers, all other nationally (330 jobs) at a median $55,590 a year ($26.73 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (17.9%) and Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying (5.4%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support Activities for Rail Transportation NAICS 488200 | 330 | 29.5% | $55,590 | $26.73 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 200 | 17.9% | $68,800 | $33.08 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying NAICS 212300 | 60 | 5.4% | $54,720 | $26.31 |
| Rail Transportation NAICS 482100 | 50 | 4.5% | $86,650 | $41.66 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (1,120). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $47,590 for rail transportation workers, all other in May 2021 and $56,360 in May 2025, with employment of 1,140 and 1,120.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $47,590 | $22.88 | 1,140 |
| May 2022 | $42,280 | $20.33 | 2,240 |
| May 2023 | $44,660 | $21.47 | 1,830 |
| May 2024 | $49,330 | $23.72 | 1,520 |
| May 2025 | $56,360 | $27.10 | 1,120 |
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
6 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 | Washington profile | $41.66 | $86,650 | $79,120 | $94,390 | 90 | 0.03 | 3.59 |
| 2 | Georgia profile | $37.74 | $78,500 | $50,030 | $96,080 | 50 | 0.01 | 1.46 |
| 3 | California profile | $29.02 | $60,360 | $45,550 | $77,600 | 230 | 0.01 | 1.79 |
| 4 | Tennessee profile | $23.40 | $48,660 | $44,830 | $65,430 | 110 | 0.04 | 4.82 |
| 5 | Texas profile | $20.75 | $43,150 | $21,880 | $59,740 | 120 | 0.01 | 1.18 |
| – | New Jersey profile | * | * | * | * | 40 | 0.01 | 1.30 |
Part of Transportation and Material Moving 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 53-4099 Rail Transportation Workers, All Other.
*- Wage 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 53-4099, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-4099.00, 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.