SOC 53-4022 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers — Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The median wage for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers in Pennsylvania is $55,470 per year, 19.4% below the national median of $68,840.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers in Pennsylvania is $55,470 per year, 19.4% below the national median of $68,840. Half of workers earn between $38,140 and $73,350. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $33,950 and the ninetieth at $73,530.
Employment stands at 350, or 0.1 jobs per thousand held locally. Pennsylvania ranks number 20th out of 24 states by median pay for this occupation. Of the 778 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 441st.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $33,950 | −50.7% |
| 25th | $38,140 | −44.6% |
| Median (50th) | $55,470 | −19.4% |
| 75th | $73,350 | +6.6% |
| 90th | $73,530 | +6.8% |
| Mean | $55,360 | −19.6% |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Pennsylvania run 2.4% below the national average, so the median of $55,470 goes as far as $56,834 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 17.4% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$55,470as reported by BLSLocal price level
97.6US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$56,834US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $55,470 a year, 19.4% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $33,950 to $73,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 350 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 20th 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 Pennsylvania?
The median annual wage is $55,470, or $26.67 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 Pennsylvania is 19.4% lower. 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 Pennsylvania earns more than $73,530 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $33,950 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 350 jobs in this occupation in Pennsylvania. 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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