47
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators is a notable career in the 47 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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13
| soc | 47-4061 |
| title | Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators |
| onet code | 47-4061.00 |
| description | 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. |
| job zone | 2 |
| major group | 47 |
| tot emp | 16,480 |
| a mean | 68,270 |
| a median | 67,370 |
| a pct10 | 45,720 |
| a pct25 | 51,630 |
| a pct75 | 79,330 |
| a pct90 | 84,840 |
| h mean | 32 |
| h median | 32 |
The day-to-day work of a rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators typically centers on patrol assigned track sections so that damaged or broken track can be located and reported. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, and Equipment Maintenance. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.26 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators, the most common entry qualification is a High School Diploma (90.2%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 0% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in Maryland at $90,410 and lowest in North Carolina at $45,760 — a 2.0× spread. The top five states (Maryland, Delaware, New York, Massachusetts, Indiana) average $84,748. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $90,410 | $85,500 | $60,280 | $97,970 | 290 |
| Delaware | $86,330 | $77,900 | $47,950 | $97,140 | 90 |
| New York | $84,840 | $77,290 | $57,030 | $85,310 | 3,330 |
| Massachusetts | $82,840 | $80,090 | $61,200 | $99,900 | 390 |
| Indiana | $79,320 | $73,840 | $56,210 | $79,350 | 510 |
| Iowa | $79,240 | $58,650 | $31,230 | $79,360 | 190 |
| Illinois | $76,930 | $80,130 | $49,930 | $96,210 | 960 |
| Arizona | $75,770 | $67,280 | $49,270 | $79,190 | 180 |
| New Mexico | $74,460 | $71,300 | $47,450 | $91,350 | 90 |
| Wisconsin | $70,870 | $69,260 | $70,850 | $70,890 | 110 |
| Kansas | $69,990 | $61,030 | $49,440 | $70,250 | 280 |
| Wyoming | $69,690 | $63,540 | $44,720 | $77,880 | 180 |
| Missouri | $69,610 | $64,390 | $51,900 | $69,660 | 120 |
| California | $69,260 | $66,700 | $44,380 | $87,310 | 560 |
| Arkansas | $68,950 | $61,900 | $40,560 | $68,950 | 80 |
| Montana | $67,050 | $67,780 | $67,020 | $67,050 | 150 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,120 | $71,150 | $51,830 | $81,200 | 560 |
| Washington | $64,950 | $67,520 | $51,500 | $77,740 | 410 |
| New Jersey | $64,840 | $70,740 | $51,230 | $105,070 | 240 |
| South Dakota | $64,550 | $65,260 | $60,600 | $71,400 | 70 |
| Colorado | $63,290 | $61,760 | $41,270 | $83,300 | 200 |
| Idaho | $62,810 | $61,830 | $47,400 | $74,660 | 90 |
| Utah | $61,520 | $61,240 | $48,140 | $75,060 | 110 |
| Tennessee | $61,290 | $67,070 | $43,550 | $77,790 | 350 |
| Nevada | $60,960 | $54,340 | $29,910 | $71,860 | 30 |
| Florida | $60,860 | $61,500 | $45,110 | $71,260 | 580 |
| Georgia | $60,660 | $64,520 | $45,570 | $73,880 | 370 |
| Virginia | $60,460 | $56,880 | $50,500 | $60,600 | — |
| Oregon | $60,380 | $60,070 | $40,340 | $82,830 | 140 |
| Texas | $56,040 | $56,510 | $37,440 | $69,050 | 1,160 |
| Alabama | $48,970 | $52,610 | $33,610 | $75,760 | 220 |
| Minnesota | $48,490 | $54,020 | $39,920 | $76,170 | 430 |
| Kentucky | $47,990 | $59,510 | $47,520 | $76,010 | 200 |
| West Virginia | $47,330 | $51,830 | $30,220 | $67,060 | 200 |
| Ohio | $47,160 | $51,120 | $43,710 | $62,030 | 980 |
| North Carolina | $45,760 | $50,640 | $43,940 | $67,430 | 290 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Ballast Cleaning Machine Operator or Emergency Service Restorer frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators compares to others in the 47 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.