United States · Pay by job · Transportation and Material Moving
Railroad Brake and Signal Operator salary and take-home pay
The typical US railroad brake and signal operator earns $68,840 a year, or $33.10 an hour (BLS, May 2025). In Texas, where the median for this job is $71,580, a single filer keeps about $59,187 a year after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.
BLS title: Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers (SOC 53-4022). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
How much does a railroad brake and signal operator earn?
| Percentile | Bar | A year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $45,660 | $21.95 | |
| 25th | $57,820 | $27.80 | |
| Median | $68,840 | $33.10 | |
| 75th | $76,590 | $36.82 | |
| 90th | $86,590 | $41.63 |
The middle half of people in this job earn $57,820 to $76,590 a year, and about 12,400 people do it across the US (BLS, May 2025).
Take-home pay tool
Railroad Brake and Signal Operator · Texas · single · median
$59,186.53 a year after tax
$4,932.21 a month · $2,276.40 a paycheck (every two weeks)
| Pay before tax | $71,580.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$6,917.60 |
| Social Security and Medicare | −$5,475.87 |
| Texas tax and payroll contributions | none |
| Take-home pay | $59,186.53 |
Pay: the median for this job in Texas, $71,580 a year (BLS). One job, standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, the year’s tax spread over 26 paychecks.
What does a railroad brake and signal operator take home at each pay point?
A single filer on the national figures, paid every two weeks, with nothing taken before tax:
| Pay a year | Texas | California | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $45,660 | $38,868 | $37,500 | $36,771 |
| 25th | $57,820 | $48,638 | $46,444 | $45,832 |
| Median | $68,840 | $57,259 | $54,192 | $53,810 |
| 75th | $76,590 | $62,711 | $58,923 | $58,810 |
| 90th | $86,590 | $69,746 | $64,957 | $65,262 |
Take-home after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for 2026. New York is outside New York City.
Where does a railroad brake and signal operator keep the most after tax?
Our 19 states, ranked by take-home pay on each state’s own median for this job (single filer). Only these 19 states have take-home figures so far.
| Rank | State | Median pay | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $85,140 | $67,545 |
| 2 | New York | $83,530 | $63,288 |
| 3 | Texas | $71,580 | $59,187 |
| 4 | Georgia | $75,540 | $58,951 |
| 5 | Illinois | $76,290 | $58,868 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $74,160 | $57,950 |
| 7 | Ohio | $67,770 | $55,086 |
| 8 | Michigan | $66,970 | $53,348 |
| 9 | Florida | $58,250 | $48,984 |
| 10 | California | $58,770 | $47,138 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $55,470 | $45,008 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $54,810 | $44,542 |
| 13 | Wyoming | $45,490 | $38,731 |
Not ranked, because BLS released no median there: Alaska, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia.
How much does a railroad brake and signal operator earn in each state?
| State | Median pay | People in the job | Take-home (single) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $56,050 | 240 | not yet |
| Alaska | not released | not released | – |
| Arizona | not released | not released | not yet |
| Arkansas | not released | not released | not yet |
| California | $58,770 | 1,340 | $47,138 (#10) |
| Colorado | $76,140 | not released | not yet |
| Connecticut | not released | not released | not yet |
| Delaware | not released | not released | not yet |
| District of Columbia | not released | not released | not yet |
| Florida | $58,250 | 130 | $48,984 (#9) |
| Georgia | $75,540 | 250 | $58,951 (#4) |
| Hawaii | not released | not released | not yet |
| Idaho | not released | not released | not yet |
| Illinois | $76,290 | 1,210 | $58,868 (#5) |
| Indiana | $64,530 | 160 | not yet |
| Iowa | $80,910 | 220 | not yet |
| Kansas | $66,990 | 390 | not yet |
| Kentucky | $56,410 | 170 | not yet |
| Louisiana | $54,260 | 210 | not yet |
| Maine | not released | not released | not yet |
| Maryland | $79,180 | 100 | not yet |
| Massachusetts | not released | not released | not yet |
| Michigan | $66,970 | 190 | $53,348 (#8) |
| Minnesota | not released | not released | not yet |
| Mississippi | not released | not released | not yet |
| Missouri | $67,110 | 730 | not yet |
| Montana | not released | not released | not yet |
| Nebraska | not released | not released | not yet |
| Nevada | not released | not released | – |
| New Hampshire | not released | not released | – |
| New Jersey | $74,160 | 70 | $57,950 (#6) |
| New Mexico | $72,340 | 100 | not yet |
| New York | $83,530 | 220 | $63,288 (#2) |
| North Carolina | $54,810 | 110 | $44,542 (#12) |
| North Dakota | not released | not released | not yet |
| Ohio | $67,770 | 280 | $55,086 (#7) |
| Oklahoma | not released | not released | not yet |
| Oregon | not released | not released | not yet |
| Pennsylvania | $55,470 | 350 | $45,008 (#11) |
| Rhode Island | not released | not released | not yet |
| South Carolina | not released | not released | not yet |
| South Dakota | not released | not released | – |
| Tennessee | not released | not released | – |
| Texas | $71,580 | 1,650 | $59,187 (#3) |
| Utah | not released | not released | not yet |
| Vermont | not released | not released | not yet |
| Virginia | not released | not released | – |
| Washington | $85,140 | 740 | $67,545 (#1) |
| West Virginia | $46,900 | 120 | not yet |
| Wisconsin | not released | not released | not yet |
| Wyoming | $45,490 | 400 | $38,731 (#13) |
Median yearly pay for this job in each state, from BLS. Take-home and its rank are for the 19 states with a take-home engine so far. Each linked state shows its highest-paying jobs after tax.
What is the job outlook for a railroad brake and signal operator?
BLS expects jobs as a railroad brake and signal operator to grow 0.8% from 2025 to 2035, with about 900 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
- Job growth, 2025 to 2035
- +0.8%
- Openings a year
- about 900
- Usual education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
What do similar jobs pay?
The 10 transportation and material moving jobs closest in pay to a railroad brake and signal operator:
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster median $78,000
- Gas Compressor Operator median $77,320
- Wellhead Pumper median $69,960
- Crane and Tower Operator median $68,080
- Flight Attendant median $63,580
- Transportation Supervisor median $62,890
- Pump Operator median $61,770
- Rail Yard Engineer median $60,600
- Traffic Technician median $59,090
- Transit and Intercity Bus Driver median $59,050
Every job in the group: Transportation and Material Moving jobs. Not sure which job suits you? Try the free career test.
What else can I work out?
- Your paycheck on $68,840, with any pay schedule, 401(k) or HSA.
- Hourly to salary: $33.10 an hour as a yearly salary.
- Your 2026 tax refund on $68,840, with the new deductions for tips and overtime.
Where do these figures come from?
Pay is the BLS estimate for all employers in May 2025 (the latest), and the outlook is from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Your own pay depends on your employer, area and experience. Take-home is our estimate for 2026: one job, the standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, from the same engine as our paycheck calculator.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables (BLS); Employment Projections tables (BLS). This site is independent and not part of the BLS.
Questions about railroad brake and signal operator pay
How much does a railroad brake and signal operator make an hour?
The median is $33.10 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $27.80 to $36.82, and the top 10% earn $41.63 or more.
Which state pays a railroad brake and signal operator the most?
Among the 50 states and DC, Washington has the highest median for this job: $85,140 a year (BLS). After tax, of the 19 states we cover, Washington leaves the most: $67,545 a year for a single filer on its median of $85,140.
What is a railroad brake and signal operator’s take-home pay?
On the national median of $68,840, a single filer keeps about $57,259 a year in Texas (no state income tax), $54,192 in California and $53,810 in New York outside New York City, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Pick your state in the tool above.
What education do you need to be a railroad brake and signal operator?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the usual way in, with no work experience in a related job and moderate-term on-the-job training (more than a month, up to a year).
Is the number of railroad brake and signal operator jobs growing?
BLS expects jobs as a railroad brake and signal operator to grow 0.8% from 2025 to 2035, with about 900 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).