Designs the signal, interlocking and train control systems that keep trains safely separated on railroads and transit lines. BLS does not publish separate figures for transportation engineers; it counts them within transportation engineer (SOC 17-2051), whose median pay is $100,840 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 17-2051
- Architecture and Engineering
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Rail Signal Engineer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $100,840a year, or $48.48/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $68KTop 10% $163K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +6.4%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+6.4%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +6.4% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 22,700380,600 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025380.6K
- Projected 2035405.1K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 380.6K Projected 2035 405.1K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Associate's9.1%
- Bachelor's77.3%
- Post-bacc certificate9.1%
- Master's4.6%
Highest education held by transportation engineers Segment Value Associate's 9.1% Bachelor's 77.3% Post-bacc certificate 9.1% Master's 4.6%
Also advertised as: Railway Signal Engineer, Signal Design Engineer, Train Control Engineer, Signal and Train Control Engineer, Railroad Signal Engineer.
Pay
How much do Transportation Engineers make?
Every rail signal engineer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$100,840
Middle half earn $79,930 to $129,680
- 10th
- $68,240
- 25th
- $79,930
- 75th
- $129,680
- 90th
- $163,220
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $68,240 |
| 25th | $79,930 |
| Median | $100,840 |
| 75th | $129,680 |
| 90th | $163,220 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $100,840
- Median hourly wage
- $48.48/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $108,670
- People employed
- 367,840
Versus all US occupations
At $100,840, Transportation Engineers earn 98% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $49,860 a year.
Versus architecture and engineering occupations
Inside the Architecture and Engineering group, where the middle occupation pays $104,110, this is 3% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $163,220 or more while the bottom 10% earn $68,240, a gap of 2.4×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 73% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
California posts the highest raw median ($122,500), but once local prices are taken into account Louisiana leads at $119,469 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Transportation Engineers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $122,500 | $110,639 | 55,180 |
| 2Alaska | $114,730 | $112,086 | 1,670 |
| 3Washington | $110,000 | $102,791 | 12,590 |
| 4Massachusetts | $106,730 | $100,920 | 9,450 |
| 5Louisiana | $105,380 | $119,469 | 3,780 |
| 6Oregon | $105,250 | $101,828 | 4,890 |
| 7New Jersey | $104,660 | $96,190 | 6,900 |
| 8Nevada | $104,310 | $104,332 | 3,560 |
| 9New Mexico | $103,900 | $112,675 | 1,350 |
| 10District of Columbia | $103,880 | $94,521 | 1,650 |
Job outlook
Is Rail Signal Engineer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +6.4% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Transportation Engineers | +6.4% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Transportation Engineers to change 6.4% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 24,500 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 22,700 openings are projected each year, 6.0% of the 380,600 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Rail Signal Engineer
A bachelor's degree in electrical engineering is the usual entry point, though civil and computer engineers also move into signals. Most of the specialty is learned on the job at railroads, transit agencies and engineering consultants.
The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association publishes signal and communications guidance, and the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers offers training and licensing. A professional engineering license is often needed for design approval. Railroad employers often hire graduates into training programs that rotate through design, construction and testing groups before engineers specialize.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as transportation engineers.
- Bachelor's Degree77.3%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree9.1%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate9.1%
- Master's Degree4.6%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 77.3% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 9.1% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 9.1% |
| Master's Degree | 4.6% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Rail Signal Engineer do?
Rail signal engineers design the systems that tell trains when it is safe to move. They lay out signals, track circuits, switch machines and interlockings, write the logic that prevents conflicting routes, and design train control systems such as positive train control and communications-based train control for transit.
They produce design drawings and logic, test systems before cutover, and support upgrades on freight railroads, commuter rail and subways. The work blends electrical engineering, software and safety analysis, because a signal failure can lead to a collision.
Day-to-day tasks
- Design signal layouts and interlocking logic
- Prepare signal circuit plans and drawings
- Design positive train control and train control systems
- Run safety analyses on signal designs
- Test and commission signal systems before cutover
- Coordinate track outages with operations
- Review contractor and vendor signal designs
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Signal engineers work mostly in offices, with field visits to track sites, signal houses and testing work that often happens at night or on weekends to avoid trains. Field time follows railroad safety rules. Engineers may join outages that run through the night to cut over new systems, and field work requires training in railroad safety and track access rules. Office work involves drawings, logic design and coordination meetings.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Writing4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Mathematics3.9
- Active Listening3.8
- Active Learning3.3
- Monitoring3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Writing | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Mathematics | 3.9 |
| Active Listening | 3.8 |
| Active Learning | 3.3 |
| Monitoring | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Time Management3.9
- Systems Analysis3.8
- Systems Evaluation3.8
- Coordination3.6
- Operations Analysis3.4
- Management of Personnel Resources3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.9 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 |
| Time Management | 3.9 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.8 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.8 |
| Coordination | 3.6 |
| Operations Analysis | 3.4 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Geographic information system · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Internet browser software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Rail Signal Engineer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code IRC) built on O*NET's Transportation Engineer profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Rail Signal Engineer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Realistic5.4
- Investigative5.4
- Conventional4.5
- Enterprising3.1
- Artistic2.1
- Social2.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Rail Signal Engineer
O*NET related occupations
- Architecture and Engineering
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$64,950median a year
Most earn $44K to $99K
+3.2%Associate's - Transportation and Material Moving
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More architecture and engineering careers
Median annual pay, with transportation engineers highlighted
- Aerospace Engineer$134,960
- Electrical Engineer$120,630
- Environmental Engineer$107,110
- Mechanical Engineer$104,110
- Automotive Engineer$104,110
- Industrial Engineer$102,440
- Civil Engineer$100,840
- Rail Signal Engineer$100,840
- Architect$99,280
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineer | $134,960 |
| Electrical Engineer | $120,630 |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $104,110 |
| Automotive Engineer | $104,110 |
| Industrial Engineer | $102,440 |
| Civil Engineer | $100,840 |
| Rail Signal Engineer | $100,840 |
| Architect | $99,280 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Rail Signal Engineer appears on
Questions
Rail Signal Engineer: frequently asked questions
How much do Transportation Engineers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for transportation engineers. It counts them within transportation engineer, whose median pay is $100,840 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $79,930 and $129,680, and the top 10% earn $163,220 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Rail Signal Engineer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Transportation Engineers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 77.3% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Rail Signal Engineer a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 6.4% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 22,700 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Rail Signal Engineer do?
Rail signal engineers design the systems that tell trains when it is safe to move. A typical task: design signal layouts and interlocking logic. Employers most often ask for Computer aided design CAD software, Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software.
Which states pay Transportation Engineers the most?
The highest state medians for Transportation Engineers are California ($122,500), Alaska ($114,730), Washington ($110,000) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Louisiana moves to the top at $119,469.
What personality type suits a Rail Signal Engineer?
O*NET scores Transportation Engineers highest on the Realistic, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.