Rail Car Repairers Salary
Rail Car Repairers in Minnesota make a median of $77,800 a year, or about $37.4 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $89K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.6), which stretches that salary to about $84,017 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,384/month, or 27.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Minnesota. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $78K get you in Minnesota?
About rail car repairers
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What this looks like in Minnesota
Minnesota sits well above the national pay line for rail car repairers, local pay runs about 15% higher than the U.S. median of $68K. Rent runs $1,384/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.6 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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, Minnesota
Entry-level rail car repairers (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $89K or more, a $46K 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 Minnesota numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a rail car repairer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Minnesota?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 28% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,384/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for rail car repairers in Minnesota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rail car repairers typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,557/month. At HUD’s $1,384/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Minnesota?
Local pay is 15% above the national median — $78K here vs. $68K nationally.
How does Minnesota compare to the national average for rail car repairers?
Minnesota pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do rail car repairers make in Minnesota?
The median is $77,800 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,610, and experienced rail car repairers can clear $88,620. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Minnesota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,938/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,384/month, which eats 28% 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 Minnesota?
Minnesota has a Regional Price Parity of 92.6 (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 $84,017 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.