Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Salary
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators in Texas make a median of $56,470 a year, or about $27.15 an hour. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $71K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $61,723 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,415/month, about 36.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $56K get you in Texas?
About rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators
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What this looks like in Texas
Pay for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators in Texas runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $70K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,415/month, which is 35.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (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, Texas
Entry-level rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $71K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators salary by metro in Texas
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $56K | +0% | 100 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $53K | -6% | 180 |
| Longview | $50K | -11% | 90 |
Compare to other states
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Frequently asked questions
Can a rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 35.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,608/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Texas?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $56K here vs. $70K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Texas compare to the national average for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators?
Texas pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $70K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — below the national median.
How much do rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators make in Texas?
The median is $56,470 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,460, and experienced rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators can clear $70,910. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,951/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 35.8% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $61,723 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.