The median pay for Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators is $70,070 a year ($33.69/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 1.5% through 2035, with about 1,200 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 47-4061
- Construction and Extraction
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator in four numbers
- Median pay
- $70,070a year, or $33.69/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $46KTop 10% $87K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +1.5%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+1.5%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +1.5% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,20017,400 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202517.4K
- Projected 203517.7K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 17.4K Projected 2035 17.7K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Machine Operator, Track Equipment Operator (TEO), Track Inspector, Track Laborer, Track Maintainer, Track Repair Person.
Pay
How much do Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators make?
Every rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operator in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$70,070
Middle half earn $51,280 to $81,670
- 10th
- $45,640
- 25th
- $51,280
- 75th
- $81,670
- 90th
- $87,420
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $45,640 |
| 25th | $51,280 |
| Median | $70,070 |
| 75th | $81,670 |
| 90th | $87,420 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $70,070
- Median hourly wage
- $33.69/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $68,740
- People employed
- 19,580
Versus all US occupations
At $70,070, Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators earn 37% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $19,090 a year.
Versus construction and extraction occupations
Inside the Construction and Extraction group, where the middle occupation pays $60,020, this is 17% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $87,420 or more while the bottom 10% earn $45,640, a gap of 1.9×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 45% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Massachusetts posts the highest raw median ($94,330), but once local prices are taken into account New Mexico leads at $90,411 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Massachusetts | $94,330 | $89,195 | 570 |
| 2Maryland | $92,030 | $87,682 | 320 |
| 3New York | $87,150 | $80,754 | 3,590 |
| 4Virginia | $84,750 | $83,825 | 360 |
| 5New Mexico | $83,370 | $90,411 | 80 |
| 6Delaware | $80,610 | $80,765 | 130 |
| 7Montana | $79,170 | $83,649 | 200 |
| 8Idaho | $79,020 | $82,749 | 90 |
| 9Illinois | $78,910 | $78,943 | 1,190 |
| 10Indiana | $78,020 | $83,597 | 320 |
Job outlook
Is Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +1.5% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators | +1.5% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators to change 1.5% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 300 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,200 openings are projected each year, 6.9% of the 17,400 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does a Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator do?
Lay, repair, and maintain track for standard or narrow-gauge railroad equipment used in regular railroad service or in plant yards, quarries, sand and gravel pits, and mines. Includes ballast cleaning machine operators and railroad bed tamping machine operators.
Day-to-day tasks
- Repair or adjust track switches, using wrenches and replacement parts.
- Operate track wrenches to tighten or loosen bolts at joints that hold ends of rails together.
- Cut rails to specified lengths, using rail saws.
- Patrol assigned track sections so that damaged or broken track can be located and reported.
- Engage mechanisms that lay tracks or rails to specified gauges.
- Lubricate machines, change oil, or fill hydraulic reservoirs to specified levels.
- Drill holes through rails, tie plates, or fishplates for insertion of bolts or spikes, using power drills.
- Clean tracks or clear ice or snow from tracks or switch boxes.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayRarely works in a climate-controlled indoor space.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
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
- Active Listening3.0
- Monitoring3.0
- Critical Thinking2.8
- Speaking2.6
- Active Learning2.5
- Learning Strategies2.5
- Reading Comprehension2.3
- Writing2.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.8 |
| Speaking | 2.6 |
| Active Learning | 2.5 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.5 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.3 |
| Writing | 2.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operations Monitoring3.8
- Operation and Control3.8
- Equipment Maintenance3.3
- Repairing3.1
- Troubleshooting3.0
- Quality Control Analysis3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Time Management3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.8 |
| Operation and Control | 3.8 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.3 |
| Repairing | 3.1 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.0 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Time accounting 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-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 4 |
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 organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional4.1
- Investigative1.7
- Artistic1.0
- Social1.0
- Enterprising1.0
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-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator
O*NET related occupations
- Construction and Extraction
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operator
$53,340median a year
Most earn $38K to $92K
−0.9%High school - Construction and Extraction
Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator
$59,850median a year
Most earn $42K to $101K
+4.6%High school - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Construction and Extraction
- Construction and Extraction
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining
$57,430median a year
Most earn $42K to $82K
+1.0%High school - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
More construction and extraction careers
Median annual pay, with rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators highlighted
- Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator$70,070
- Plumber$63,800
- Electrician$63,190
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker$62,780
- Sheet Metal Worker$61,800
- Carpenter$60,580
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$59,850
- Roofer$55,440
- Oil and Gas Roustabout$46,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator | $70,070 |
| Plumber | $63,800 |
| Electrician | $63,190 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Worker | $62,780 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | $61,800 |
| Carpenter | $60,580 |
| Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator | $59,850 |
| Roofer | $55,440 |
| Oil and Gas Roustabout | $46,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator appears on
Questions
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator: frequently asked questions
How much do Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators make?
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators earn a median of $70,070 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 37% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $33.69/hr. The middle half earn between $51,280 and $81,670. The top 10% earn $87,420 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 1.5% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator do?
Lay, repair, and maintain track for standard or narrow-gauge railroad equipment used in regular railroad service or in plant yards, quarries, sand and gravel pits, and mines. A core O*NET task: repair or adjust track switches, using wrenches and replacement parts. Employers most often ask for Office suite software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators the most?
The highest state medians for Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators are Massachusetts ($94,330), Maryland ($92,030), New York ($87,150) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, New Mexico moves to the top at $90,411.
What personality type suits a Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator?
O*NET scores Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with 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.