Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Salary
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators in Massachusetts make a median of $94,330 a year, or about $45.35 an hour. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $101K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.09), that's roughly $94,245 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,347/month, about 39.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Massachusetts. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $94K get you in Massachusetts?
About rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Massachusetts
Massachusetts sits well above the national pay line for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators, local pay runs about 35% higher than the U.S. median of $70K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,347/month, which is 40.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.09) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Massachusetts
Entry-level rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $94K. Top earners bring in $101K or more, a $40K spread from bottom to top.
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators salary by metro in Massachusetts
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $85K | -10% | 280 |
Compare to other states
Track rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Massachusetts numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Massachusetts?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $94K, rent takes 40.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,347/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/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 Massachusetts?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,694/month. At HUD’s $2,347/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 Massachusetts?
Local pay is 35% above the national median — $94K here vs. $70K nationally.
How does Massachusetts compare to the national average for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators?
Massachusetts pays $94K median vs. the U.S. average of $70K — that’s +35%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.09), the purchasing-power equivalent is $94K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators make in Massachusetts?
The median is $94,330 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,570, and experienced rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators can clear $101,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $94K enough to live in Massachusetts?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,836/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,347/month, which eats 40.2% 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 Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has a Regional Price Parity of 100.09 (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 $94,245 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.