Rail Car Repairers Salary
Rail Car Repairers in Kentucky make a median of $59,430 a year, or about $28.57 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $65,865 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,110/month, or 28.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Kentucky. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $59K get you in Kentucky?
About rail car repairers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Kentucky
Pay for rail car repairers in Kentucky runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $68K. Rent runs $1,110/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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, Kentucky
Entry-level rail car repairers (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $40K 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 Kentucky numbers change.
Related careers in Repair & Maintenance
Frequently asked questions
Can a rail car repairer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 28.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for rail car repairers in Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rail car repairers typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,397/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Kentucky?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $59K here vs. $68K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for rail car repairers?
Kentucky pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — below the national median.
How much do rail car repairers make in Kentucky?
The median is $59,430 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,950, and experienced rail car repairers can clear $80,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,951/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 28.1% 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 Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (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 $65,865 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.