Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Salary
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators in South Dakota make a median of $64,500 a year, or about $31.01 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.89), which stretches that salary to about $71,754 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,017/month, or 22.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of South Dakota. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $65K get you in South Dakota?
About rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators
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What this looks like in South Dakota
Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators pay in South Dakota tracks closely to the national median, $65K locally vs. $70K nationwide, a 8% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,017/month, 22.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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, South Dakota
Entry-level rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $25K 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 South Dakota numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in South Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 22.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,017/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 South Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,873/month. At HUD’s $1,017/month FMR, rent would take 35% 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 South Dakota?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $65K locally vs. $70K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does South Dakota compare to the national average for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators?
South Dakota pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $70K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators make in South Dakota?
The median is $64,500 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,890, and experienced rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators can clear $73,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in South Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,480/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,017/month, which eats 22.7% 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 South Dakota?
South Dakota has a Regional Price Parity of 89.89 (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 $71,754 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.