Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Salary
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators in Delaware make a median of $80,610 a year, or about $38.75 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $92K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.51), that's roughly $82,668 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,448/month, or 28.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Delaware. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $81K get you in Delaware?
About rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators
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What this looks like in Delaware
Delaware sits well above the national pay line for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators, local pay runs about 15% higher than the U.S. median of $70K. Rent runs $1,448/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.51) 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Delaware
Entry-level rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $92K or more, a $49K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Delaware numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Delaware?
Yes — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 28.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,448/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators in Delaware?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,617/month. At HUD’s $1,448/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Delaware?
Local pay is 15% above the national median — $81K here vs. $70K nationally.
How does Delaware compare to the national average for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators?
Delaware pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $70K — that’s +15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators make in Delaware?
The median is $80,610 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,620, and experienced rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators can clear $92,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Delaware?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,085/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,448/month, which eats 28.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators salary go in Delaware?
Delaware has a Regional Price Parity of 97.51 (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-track laying and maintenance equipment operators salary is worth about $82,668 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.