Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Salary
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators in Ohio make a median of $47,980 a year, or about $23.07 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.45), which stretches that salary to about $52,466 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,188/month, about 36.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Ohio. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $48K get you in Ohio?
About rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators
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What this looks like in Ohio
Pay for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators in Ohio runs about 32% below the U.S. median of $70K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,188/month, which is 35.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operatorss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ohio
Entry-level rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Ohio numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ohio?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 35.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,188/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Ohio?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,711/month. At HUD’s $1,188/month FMR, rent would take 44% 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 Ohio?
Local pay runs 32% below the national median — $48K here vs. $70K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Ohio compare to the national average for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators?
Ohio pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $70K — that’s -32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — below the national median.
How much do rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators make in Ohio?
The median is $47,980 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,180, and experienced rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators can clear $68,970. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Ohio?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,331/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,188/month, which eats 35.7% 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 Ohio?
Ohio has a Regional Price Parity of 91.45 (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 $52,466 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.