Rail Car Repairers Salary
Rail Car Repairers in New Mexico make a median of $67,550 a year, or about $32.47 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $85K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.06), which stretches that salary to about $72,588 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,119/month, or 25.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of New Mexico. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $68K get you in New Mexico?
About rail car repairers
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What this looks like in New Mexico
Rail car repairers pay in New Mexico tracks closely to the national median, $68K locally vs. $68K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $1,119/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.06 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Mexico
Entry-level rail car repairers (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $68K. Top earners bring in $85K or more, a $33K 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 New Mexico numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a rail car repairer afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Mexico?
Yes — at the median salary of $68K, rent takes 25.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,119/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for rail car repairers in New Mexico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rail car repairers typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,121/month. At HUD’s $1,119/month FMR, rent would take 36% 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 New Mexico?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $68K locally vs. $68K nationally, a 0% difference.
How does New Mexico compare to the national average for rail car repairers?
New Mexico pays $68K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $73K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do rail car repairers make in New Mexico?
The median is $67,550 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,020, and experienced rail car repairers can clear $85,470. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $68K enough to live in New Mexico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,466/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,119/month, which eats 25.1% 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 New Mexico?
New Mexico has a Regional Price Parity of 93.06 (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 $72,588 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.