The average salary for a rail transportation worker in the United States is around $60,600 per year.
Avg Salary
Rail transportation workers earn an average yearly salary of $60,600.
Wages typically start from $44,540 and go up to $100,270.
2% below national average Updated in 2025
Rail transportation worker earnings by seniority
Top-level rail transportation worker earnings begin at:
$48.21 per hour
$100,270 per year
Senior-level rail transportation worker earnings begin at:
$38.63 per hour
$80,360 per year
Mid-level rail transportation worker earnings begin at:
$29.14 per hour
$60,600 per year
Junior-level rail transportation worker earnings begin at:
$25.37 per hour
$52,780 per year
Starting level rail transportation worker earnings begin at:
$21.41 per hour
$44,540 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Rail transportation worker salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| West Virginia | $91,380 |
| Florida | $80,360 |
| South Carolina | $79,260 |
| New Jersey | $71,030 |
| California | $67,160 |
| New York | $66,750 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,380 |
| Oklahoma | $63,400 |
| Kentucky | $62,070 |
| Colorado | $60,770 |
| Ohio | $59,460 |
| Utah | $58,380 |
| Illinois | $58,140 |
| Massachusetts | $57,640 |
| Nebraska | $57,200 |
| Kansas | $56,090 |
| Indiana | $54,420 |
| Tennessee | $54,060 |
| Texas | $53,130 |
| Minnesota | $50,390 |
| Nevada | $48,970 |
| Alabama | $48,900 |
| North Carolina | $45,950 |
| Iowa | $43,410 |
| Missouri | $42,400 |
| Michigan | $40,570 |
| Georgia | $39,160 |
| Arkansas | $38,980 |
How do rail transportation worker salaries compare to similar careers?
Rail transportation workers earn 6% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than freight and cargo inspectors but more than truck drivers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Freight and cargo inspector salary | $92K |
| Locomotive engineer salary | $81K |
| Aircraft mechanic salary | $80K |
| Avionics technician salary | $82K |
| Flight attendant salary | $64K |
| Rail transportation worker salary | $61K |
| Traffic technician salary | $59K |
| Bus driver salary | $59K |
| Ship loader salary | $59K |
| Truck driver salary | $59K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)