How much does a rail car repairer make?
a year · about $32 an hour
A typical rail car repairer in the United States makes $67,530 a year, about $32 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They inspect incoming rail cars, checking wheels, bearings, seals, and couplers for wear. Then they replace or weld damaged parts, test the car, and record what they fixed.
Did you know? Some rail car repairers patch damaged car roofs with roofing material, cement, nails, and waterproof paint.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $46,800 and $95,100How do you become one?
In the U.S., finish high school or earn a GED and apply; CSX requires applicants to be 18 and have mechanical experience. Learn through paid job training or an apprenticeship; welding skills help, and college is usually not needed.
School needed: High school plus some training
Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay can differ with experience and useful skills, such as welding, and with the employer and location. Hours worked can matter too, and some railroad jobs have pay rates set by union agreements.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Massachusetts ($108,680), lowest in Ohio ($53,480).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $46,800 | $67,530 | $95,100 | about 21,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $108,680 | about 770 |
| Maryland | $89,430 | about 560 |
| New York | $84,580 | about 2,000 |
| Illinois | $84,570 | about 2,000 |
| California | $68,370 | about 700 |
Official definition: Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul railroad rolling stock, mine cars, or mass transit rail cars. Excludes “Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists” (49-3031).
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/49-3043.00
- www.csx.com/index.cfm/working-at-csx/job-overviews/mechanical/carman/
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes493043.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY