Rail Car Repairers Salary
Rail Car Repairers in Alabama make a median of $58,080 a year, or about $27.93 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $65,731 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,085/month, or 28.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Alabama. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $58K get you in Alabama?
About rail car repairers
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What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for rail car repairers in Alabama runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $68K. Rent runs $1,085/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level rail car repairers (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track rail car repairers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a rail car repairer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
Yes — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 28.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for rail car repairers in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rail car repairers typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,233/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 49% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is rail car repairer a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $58K here vs. $68K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for rail car repairers?
Alabama pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — below the national median.
How much do rail car repairers make in Alabama?
The median is $58,080 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,220, and experienced rail car repairers can clear $77,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,831/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 28.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a rail car repairers salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median rail car repairers salary is worth about $65,731 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do rail car repairers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.