SOC 53-4031 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters — North Carolina
North Carolina
Median pay for this occupation in North Carolina is $58,930 a year, trailing the national median of $78,000 by 24.4%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow more slowly than average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +1.1%
- Openings per year
- 3,100
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for North Carolina.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in North Carolina is $58,930 a year, trailing the national median of $78,000 by 24.4%. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $52,050 and $80,570. The lowest tenth earn under $52,040, while the highest tenth earn more than $92,220.
North Carolina ranks number 31st out of 33 states by median pay for this occupation. Of the 745 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 338th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $52,040 | −33.3% |
| 25th | $52,050 | −33.3% |
| Median (50th) | $58,930 | −24.4% |
| 75th | $80,570 | +3.3% |
| 90th | $92,220 | +18.2% |
| Mean | $68,070 | −12.7% |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in North Carolina run 5.7% below the national average, so the median of $58,930 goes as far as $62,492 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 19.9% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$58,930as reported by BLSLocal price level
94.3US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$62,492US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $58,930 a year, 24.4% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $52,040 to $92,220 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- It ranks 31st of 33 states for this occupation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters in North Carolina?
The median annual wage is $58,930, or $28.33 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 $78,000, so pay in North Carolina is 24.4% 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 North Carolina earns more than $92,220 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $52,040 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.
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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