Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Salary
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD make a median of $87,410 a year, or about $42.03 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $94K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 104.49), that's roughly $83,654 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,857/month, about 33.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $87K get you in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Baltimore-Columbia-Towson’s Regional Price Parity (104.49). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators
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What this looks like in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson sits well above the national pay line for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators, local pay runs about 25% higher than the U.S. median of $70K. Rent runs $1,857/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 104.49) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators in metros near Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $59K | $63K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $62K | $60K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
Entry-level rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $94K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $94K | +35% | 570 |
| Maryland | $92K | +31% | 320 |
| New York | $87K | +24% | 3,590 |
| Virginia | $85K | +21% | 360 |
| New Mexico | $83K | +19% | 80 |
| Delaware | $81K | +15% | 130 |
| Montana | $79K | +13% | 200 |
| Idaho | $79K | +13% | 90 |
| Illinois | $79K | +13% | 1,190 |
| Indiana | $78K | +11% | 320 |
| Arizona | $77K | +9% | 170 |
| Michigan | $75K | +8% | 290 |
| Kentucky | $73K | +4% | 270 |
| South Carolina | $72K | +2% | 30 |
| Wyoming | $72K | +2% | 220 |
| California | $71K | +2% | 770 |
| New Jersey | $67K | -5% | 230 |
| Tennessee | $66K | -5% | 260 |
| South Dakota | $65K | -8% | 110 |
| Missouri | $64K | -8% | 410 |
| Colorado | $64K | -8% | 300 |
| Utah | $63K | -10% | 60 |
| Georgia | $63K | -10% | 710 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | -12% | 310 |
| Florida | $61K | -13% | 490 |
| Arkansas | $60K | -14% | 150 |
| Pennsylvania | $60K | -15% | 830 |
| Washington | $59K | -16% | 500 |
| Kansas | $59K | -16% | 310 |
| Nevada | $57K | -19% | 40 |
| West Virginia | $57K | -19% | 270 |
| Texas | $56K | -19% | 940 |
| Oregon | $51K | -27% | 190 |
| Minnesota | $50K | -29% | 760 |
| Ohio | $48K | -32% | 1,130 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | -32% | 180 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -32% | 270 |
| Iowa | $46K | -35% | 200 |
| Louisiana | $44K | -37% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 39 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Baltimore-Columbia-Towson numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 33.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,857/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,849/month. At HUD’s $1,857/month FMR, rent would take 65% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operator a high-paying job in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Local pay is 25% above the national median — $87K here vs. $70K nationally.
How does Baltimore-Columbia-Towson compare to the national average for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $70K — that’s +25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 104.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators make in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD?
The median is $87,410 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,490, and experienced rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators can clear $93,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,492/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,857/month, which eats 33.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators salary go in Baltimore-Columbia-Towson?
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson has a Regional Price Parity of 104.49 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators salary is worth about $83,654 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators 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.