Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers Salary in United States

Half of railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers roles in United States report earning more than $68,840 a year and half report earning less — that is the median. The mean (average) of $69,030 is pulled up or down by the highest and lowest earners, which is why the median is usually the better benchmark.

Salary range

A quarter of reported salaries fall below $57,820 and a quarter are above $76,590, so most railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers pay sits between those two figures. These percentiles describe how pay is spread across all reported roles — they are not a direct measure of years of experience.

What can affect railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers pay?

• Years of experience and level of responsibility
• Employer type and size
• Specialization within the occupation
• Certifications and licensing
• Industry
• Hours worked, shift patterns and overtime
• The local labor market where the job is based