Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Salary
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators in Iowa make a median of $45,640 a year, or about $21.94 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $51,362 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,064/month, about 34.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Iowa. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $46K get you in Iowa?
About rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators
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What this looks like in Iowa
Pay for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators in Iowa runs about 35% below the U.S. median of $70K. Rent runs $1,064/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (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, Iowa
Entry-level rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $81K 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 Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 34.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,921/month. At HUD’s $1,064/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 Iowa?
Local pay runs 35% below the national median — $46K here vs. $70K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators?
Iowa pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $70K — that’s -35%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — below the national median.
How much do rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators make in Iowa?
The median is $45,640 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,010, and experienced rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators can clear $81,440. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,045/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 34.9% 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 Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (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 $51,362 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.