Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers Salary in California
SOC 53-4022 · California · BLS OEWS May 2025
Median Annual Salary
$58,760
$28.25/hr
14.7% lower than the US national median ($68,848)
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
Get notified when this number updates
Personal or work email, both work. No account needed. Unsubscribe anytime.
The median salary for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers in California is $58,760 per year ($28.25/hr). This is 14.7% lower than the national median of $68,848.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Operate or monitor railroad track switches or locomotive instruments. May couple or uncouple rolling stock to make up or break up trains. Watch for and relay traffic signals. May inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and hand brakes. May watch for dragging equipment or obstacles on rights-of-way.
Wage Percentiles: California
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours) · National adjusted
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
vs National
P10Entry level
$24.75
$51,480
+12.8%
P25
$28.20
$58,656
+1.4%
P50MEDIAN
$28.25
$58,760
-14.7%
P75
$33.66
$70,013
-8.6%
P90Top earners
$33.66
$70,013
-19.1%
Get the full percentile report
P10–P90 breakdown, career outlook, industry wages, and JOLTS market signal for Railroad Brake
Free. No account needed. Unsubscribe anytime.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+1.0%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
1K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
11K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
1% from new growth99% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 2 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Rail Transportation
NAICS 482100
10K
$70,960
Support Activities for Rail Transportation
NAICS 488200
2K
$48,710
Wage range across top 5 industries: $48,710 to $70,960 (46% spread)
See the complete picture
Full percentile breakdown · JOLTS market signals · Geographic comparison · AI analyst briefs
No credit card required · 770+ occupations · 393 metros
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers salary in California?
The median (P50) annual salary for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers in California is approximately $58,760, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. This is 14.7% lower than the national median of $68,848. For the full P10–P90 breakdown and market context, open CompSignal.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.