SOC 53-4022 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers — New Jersey
New Jersey
At $74,160, median pay for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers in New Jersey tracks the national median of $68,840 closely.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
At $74,160, median pay for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers in New Jersey tracks the national median of $68,840 closely. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $63,710 and $78,500. The lowest tenth earn under $52,850, while the highest tenth earn more than $81,440.
Employment stands at 70, or 0.0 jobs per thousand held locally. Among the 24 states with published data for this occupation, New Jersey ranks 8th by median wage. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 334th of 736 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $52,850 | −23.2% |
| 25th | $63,710 | −7.5% |
| Median (50th) | $74,160 | +7.7% |
| 75th | $78,500 | +14.0% |
| 90th | $81,440 | +18.3% |
| Mean | $70,530 | +2.5% |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in New Jersey run 8.8% above the national average, so the median of $74,160 buys what $68,162 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 1.0% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$74,160as reported by BLSLocal price level
108.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$68,162US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $74,160 a year, 7.7% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $52,850 to $81,440 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 70 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 8th of 24 states for this occupation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers in New Jersey?
The median annual wage is $74,160, or $35.65 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $68,840, so pay in New Jersey is 7.7% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in New Jersey earns more than $81,440 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $52,850 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 70 jobs in this occupation in New Jersey. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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