53
Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers is a notable career in the 53 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
Education Administrators, All Other
11
Personal Service Managers, All Other
11
Managers, All Other
11
Buyers and Purchasing Agents
13
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
13
| soc | 53-4013 |
| title | Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers |
| onet code | 53-4013.00 |
| description | Drive switching or other locomotive or dinkey engines within railroad yard, industrial plant, quarry, construction project, or similar location. |
| job zone | 2 |
| major group | 53 |
| tot emp | 3,300 |
| a mean | 60,810 |
| a median | 58,030 |
| a pct10 | 44,510 |
| a pct25 | 51,770 |
| a pct75 | 65,530 |
| a pct90 | 79,070 |
| h mean | 29 |
| h median | 27 |
The day-to-day work of a rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers typically centers on observe and respond to wayside and cab signals, including color light signals, position signals, torpedoes, flags, and hot box detectors. 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 Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, and Monitoring. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.39 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers, the most common entry qualification is a High School Diploma (82.5%). 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 New York at $73,840 and lowest in Arkansas at $47,780 — a 1.5× spread. The top five states (New York, North Dakota, West Virginia, California, Pennsylvania) average $69,514. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $73,840 | $81,100 | $73,840 | $105,960 | — |
| North Dakota | $73,620 | $70,080 | $59,090 | $82,480 | 50 |
| West Virginia | $70,480 | $74,450 | $61,300 | $89,160 | 70 |
| California | $65,500 | $62,490 | $56,980 | $65,530 | 280 |
| Pennsylvania | $64,130 | $58,290 | $34,000 | $64,530 | 60 |
| New Jersey | $59,450 | $65,710 | $48,120 | $99,470 | 210 |
| Florida | $58,220 | $58,210 | $50,960 | $64,650 | 30 |
| Ohio | $58,000 | $56,370 | $47,190 | $66,640 | — |
| Alabama | $57,050 | $57,190 | $43,470 | $73,550 | 50 |
| Texas | $53,250 | $59,530 | $44,940 | $98,590 | 80 |
| Kansas | $52,710 | $49,970 | $40,630 | $55,150 | 60 |
| Kentucky | $50,090 | $52,260 | $48,140 | $60,410 | 120 |
| Georgia | $48,700 | $52,640 | $38,580 | $75,260 | 170 |
| Indiana | $47,960 | $51,650 | $37,340 | $65,120 | 300 |
| Arkansas | $47,780 | $52,800 | $38,480 | $70,580 | 30 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Car Barn Laborer or Car Mover frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers compares to others in the 53 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 Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers
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.
Explore More Data Tools
For adjacent public-data tools, methodology notes, and network updates, visit DataPeek Facts.