Signal and Track Switch Repairers
Signal and Track Switch Repairers (SOC 49-9097) earn a median $92,460 a year ($44.45 an hour) in the United States, with 8,720 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Massachusetts.
What signal and track switch repairers do
Signal and track switch repairers install, inspect, test, maintain and repair electric crossing gates, signals and signal equipment, track switches, section lines and intercommunications systems on a railroad. They check the operation, mechanical parts and wiring of crossing gates, signals and related equipment, including interlocks and hotbox detectors, and inspect the electrical units of railroad grade crossing gates, repairing loose bolts and defective electrical connections and parts. Track circuits are tested and repaired, and switch-controlling mechanisms on trolley wires and in track beds are inspected using hand tools and test equipment. Loose bolts are tightened with wrenches and circuits and connections are tested by opening and closing gates, and defective wiring, broken lenses and burned-out bulbs are replaced. Railroad service equipment, including signal systems, is installed, inspected, maintained and repaired on the road or in the shop. Repairers drive motor vehicles to job sites. Titles include railroad signal maintainer, rail signal mechanic and light rail signal technician.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most common education level reported is less than a high school diploma, with skills learned on the job.
Also called: Communications Maintainer, Electric Track Switch Maintainer, Gate Technician, Light Rail Signal Technician, Rail Signal Designer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $30.10 | $38.33 | $44.45 | $47.75 | $57.48 | $43.47 | 8,720 |
| Annual | $62,610 | $79,720 | $92,460 | $99,320 | $119,550 | $90,410 | ||
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 signal and track switch repairers 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 | $35.91 | $46.44 | $60.79 | $60.79 | $77.01 | $55.27 | 160 | 0.04 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $74,690 | $96,600 | $126,440 | $126,440 | $160,180 | $114,970 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $38.10 | $44.51 | $58.51 | $58.51 | $71.76 | $52.87 | 210 | 0.06 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $79,260 | $92,580 | $121,710 | $121,710 | $149,260 | $109,970 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $33.55 | $46.52 | $46.53 | $46.59 | $46.59 | $44.16 | 80 | 0.03 | 0.48 |
| Annual | $69,790 | $96,750 | $96,780 | $96,910 | $96,910 | $91,850 | ||||
| Arizona | Hourly | $29.75 | $37.26 | $46.38 | $50.85 | $58.30 | $44.26 | 100 | 0.03 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $61,880 | $77,490 | $96,460 | $105,770 | $121,270 | $92,060 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $37.29 | $45.87 | $45.97 | $45.97 | $45.97 | $44.49 | 170 | 0.04 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $77,560 | $95,400 | $95,620 | $95,620 | $95,620 | $92,530 | ||||
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 | $43.50 | $45.45 | $45.45 | $49.77 | $49.77 | $45.66 | 1,910 | 0.20 | 3.51 |
| Annual | $90,480 | $94,530 | $94,530 | $103,510 | $103,510 | $94,960 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $37.82 | $42.97 | $45.96 | $57.95 | $60.26 | $47.60 | 720 | 0.12 | 2.10 |
| Annual | $78,670 | $89,390 | $95,610 | $120,540 | $125,340 | $99,020 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $25.40 | $36.62 | $40.88 | $41.04 | $41.04 | $37.38 | 650 | 0.05 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $52,830 | $76,180 | $85,020 | $85,360 | $85,360 | $77,750 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $23.61 | $29.83 | $38.39 | $46.25 | $57.97 | $37.96 | 440 | 0.09 | 1.59 |
| Annual | $49,100 | $62,050 | $79,860 | $96,190 | $120,590 | $78,960 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $31.08 | $40.69 | $40.71 | $49.61 | $60.75 | $44.39 | 390 | 0.02 | 0.38 |
| Annual | $64,650 | $84,640 | $84,670 | $103,180 | $126,370 | $92,330 | ||||
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 | $44.51 | $50.82 | $58.51 | $58.51 | $71.76 | $56.79 | 170 | 0.08 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $92,580 | $105,710 | $121,710 | $121,710 | $149,260 | $118,130 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $45.45 | $45.45 | $45.45 | $45.45 | $51.65 | $46.06 | 1,080 | 0.11 | 2.04 |
| Annual | $94,530 | $94,530 | $94,530 | $94,530 | $107,420 | $95,800 | ||||
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 | $45.45 | $45.45 | $45.45 | $45.45 | $51.65 | $46.06 | 1,080 | 0.11 | 2.04 |
| Annual | $94,530 | $94,530 | $94,530 | $94,530 | $107,420 | $95,800 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $44.51 | $50.82 | $58.51 | $58.51 | $71.76 | $56.79 | 170 | 0.08 | 1.46 |
| Annual | $92,580 | $105,710 | $121,710 | $121,710 | $149,260 | $118,130 | ||||
Top industries employing signal and track switch repairers
Rail Transportation employ 74.1% of signal and track switch repairers nationally (6,460 jobs) at a median $90,480 a year ($43.50 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (21.2%) and Support Activities for Rail Transportation (1.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rail Transportation NAICS 482100 | 6,460 | 74.1% | $90,480 | $43.50 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 1,850 | 21.2% | $94,530 | $45.45 |
| Support Activities for Rail Transportation NAICS 488200 | 100 | 1.1% | $55,370 | $26.62 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (8,720). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $80,570 for signal and track switch repairers in May 2021 and $92,460 in May 2025, with employment of 8,090 and 8,720.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $80,570 | $38.73 | 8,090 |
| May 2022 | $81,300 | $39.09 | 6,880 |
| May 2023 | $82,710 | $39.76 | 9,200 |
| May 2024 | $83,600 | $40.19 | 8,210 |
| May 2025 | $92,460 | $44.45 | 8,720 |
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
23 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 | $60.79 | $126,440 | $74,690 | $160,180 | 160 | 0.04 | 0.77 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $58.51 | $121,710 | $79,260 | $149,260 | 210 | 0.06 | 1.04 |
| 3 | Minnesota profile | $46.53 | $96,780 | $69,790 | $96,910 | 80 | 0.03 | 0.48 |
| 4 | Arizona profile | $46.38 | $96,460 | $61,880 | $121,270 | 100 | 0.03 | 0.56 |
| 5 | Virginia profile | $45.97 | $95,620 | $77,560 | $95,620 | 170 | 0.04 | 0.74 |
| 6 | Illinois profile | $45.96 | $95,610 | $78,670 | $125,340 | 720 | 0.12 | 2.10 |
| 7 | New York profile | $45.45 | $94,530 | $90,480 | $103,510 | 1,910 | 0.20 | 3.51 |
| 8 | Michigan profile | $44.74 | $93,060 | $64,620 | $118,090 | 120 | 0.03 | 0.48 |
| 9 | Indiana profile | $44.33 | $92,200 | $83,820 | $92,460 | 220 | 0.07 | 1.24 |
| 10 | Missouri profile | $41.49 | $86,300 | $61,430 | $86,530 | 250 | 0.09 | 1.51 |
| 11 | Wisconsin profile | $41.08 | $85,440 | $60,790 | $104,380 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.38 |
| 12 | Texas profile | $40.88 | $85,020 | $52,830 | $85,360 | 650 | 0.05 | 0.82 |
| 13 | California profile | $40.71 | $84,670 | $64,650 | $126,370 | 390 | 0.02 | 0.38 |
| 14 | Colorado profile | $40.35 | $83,930 | $66,120 | $95,790 | 160 | 0.06 | 1.01 |
| 15 | Kansas profile | $40.17 | $83,550 | $83,550 | $85,600 | 120 | 0.08 | 1.44 |
| 16 | New Jersey profile | $39.90 | $82,990 | $68,190 | $105,850 | 260 | 0.06 | 1.08 |
| 17 | Georgia profile | $38.39 | $79,860 | $49,100 | $120,590 | 440 | 0.09 | 1.59 |
| 18 | Tennessee profile | $38.33 | $79,730 | $59,590 | $98,120 | 190 | 0.06 | 1.03 |
| 19 | Florida profile | $37.83 | $78,680 | $64,760 | $78,900 | 290 | 0.03 | 0.53 |
| 20 | Kentucky profile | $36.48 | $75,870 | $53,370 | $75,950 | 60 | 0.03 | 0.51 |
| 21 | Ohio profile | $28.29 | $58,840 | $58,670 | $85,220 | 150 | 0.03 | 0.49 |
| – | Oregon profile | * | * | * | * | 70 | 0.04 | 0.68 |
| – | Pennsylvania profile | * | * | * | * | 260 | 0.04 | 0.77 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (49-9090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 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 49-9097 Signal and Track Switch Repairers.
*- 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 49-9097, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 49-9097.00, 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.