Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Salary
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators in Virginia make a median of $84,750 a year, or about $40.75 an hour. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $92K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $89,408 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 30.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Virginia. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $85K get you in Virginia?
About rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators
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What this looks like in Virginia
Virginia sits well above the national pay line for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators, local pay runs about 21% higher than the U.S. median of $70K. Rent runs $1,646/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Virginia
Entry-level rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $85K. Top earners bring in $92K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $85K, rent takes 31% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/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 Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,589/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Virginia?
Local pay is 21% above the national median — $85K here vs. $70K nationally.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators?
Virginia pays $85K median vs. the U.S. average of $70K — that’s +21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators make in Virginia?
The median is $84,750 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,820, and experienced rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators can clear $92,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $85K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,304/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 31% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $89,408 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.