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Salary comparison

Rail Car Repairers vs. Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics: Who Earns More?

Rail Car Repairerss out-earn Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanicss by $17K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Rail Car Repairerss land at $67,530 and Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanicss at $50,620. The education gap is real: rail car repairer programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while automotive service technicians and mechanic programs require postsecondary nondegree award. Top-paying state for Rail Car Repairerss is Massachusetts ($108,680); for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanicss it's District of Columbia ($68,660).

Rail Car Repairers
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
Median salary
$67,530
$50,620
Hourly rate
$32.46/hr
$24.34/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$46,800
$34,660
Senior level (90th %)
$95,100
$81,790
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
Postsecondary nondegree award
U.S. employment
21,350
704,640
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
4%
Category
Repair & Maintenance
Repair & Maintenance
Top-paying state
Massachusetts
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Rail Car Repairers median pay.

State
Rail Car Repairers
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
Massachusetts
$108,680
$60,760
Maryland
$89,430
$57,520
Oregon
$87,470
$58,520
Colorado
$86,630
$61,280
New York
$84,580
$54,120
Virginia
$83,720
$59,330
Delaware
$78,900
$58,410
New Jersey
$78,750
$56,610
Minnesota
$77,800
$58,390
California
$68,370
$64,980
Michigan
$64,370
$54,120
Washington
$63,410
$57,270
Maine
$60,090
$52,040
Wyoming
$59,040
$51,330
Wisconsin
$58,870
$54,350

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Rail Car Repairerss or Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanicss?

Rail Car Repairerss earn more nationally. The median is $67,530 for Rail Car Repairerss versus $50,620 for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanicss, a difference of $17K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Rail Car Repairers or Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Rail Car Repairers or Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics?

Rail Car Repairers typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics requires postsecondary nondegree award. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Rail Car Repairerss get paid the most?

Massachusetts is the top-paying state for Rail Car Repairerss at $108,680/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Rail Car Repairers vs. Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Massachusetts, Rail Car Repairerss earn $108,680 vs. $60,760 for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanicss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Rail Car Repairers salary breakdownView →Full Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics salary breakdownView →Best cities for Rail Car Repairerss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanicss by take-home payExplore →How to become a rail car repairersGuide →How to become a automotive service technicians and mechanicsGuide →