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Salary comparison

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

Rail Car Repairers out-earn Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics by $17K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Rail Car Repairers land at $67,530 and Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics 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 Repairers is Massachusetts ($108,680); for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics 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)
2.8%
4.2%
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 Repairers or Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics?

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

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

Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics has the better 10-year outlook at 4.2% projected growth, compared to 2.8% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

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 Repairers get paid the most?

Massachusetts is the top-paying state for Rail Car Repairers 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 Repairers earn $108,680 vs. $60,760 for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics. 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 Repairers by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics by take-home payExplore →How to become a rail car repairersGuide →How to become a automotive service technicians and mechanicsGuide →