Rail Car Repairers Salary
Rail Car Repairers in Missouri make a median of $68,290 a year, or about $32.83 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $71K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.97), which stretches that salary to about $76,756 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,097/month, or 24.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Missouri. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $68K get you in Missouri?
About rail car repairers
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What this looks like in Missouri
Rail car repairers pay in Missouri tracks closely to the national median, $68K locally vs. $68K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,097/month, 24.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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, Missouri
Entry-level rail car repairers (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $68K. Top earners bring in $71K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Rail Car Repairers salary by metro in Missouri
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | $51K | -25% | 80 |
Compare to other states
Track rail car repairers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a rail car repairer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missouri?
Yes — at the median salary of $68K, rent takes 24.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,097/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for rail car repairers in Missouri?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rail car repairers typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,701/month. At HUD’s $1,097/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Missouri?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $68K locally vs. $68K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Missouri compare to the national average for rail car repairers?
Missouri pays $68K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $77K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do rail car repairers make in Missouri?
The median is $68,290 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,020, and experienced rail car repairers can clear $70,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $68K enough to live in Missouri?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,497/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,097/month, which eats 24.4% 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 Missouri?
Missouri has a Regional Price Parity of 88.97 (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 $76,756 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.