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Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators in Illinois

Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators in Illinois

Is Illinois a good place for you to work as a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator?

3.2% Jobs Projection
$62,400 Median Salary
120 Job Openings

You’re in luck! Jobs for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators in Illinois are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.

  • Projected employment for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators in Illinois is growing slower than average.

  • Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators in Illinois earn higher salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.

How Many Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators Work in Illinois?

1,100 people worked as Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators in 2018 in this state.

There were 710 Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators employed in this state in 2017.

That’s growth of 390 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

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The typical state has 220 Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators working in it, which means Illinois has more Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators than average.

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Job Projections for Illinois

Jobs for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators in this state are growing at a rate of 3.2% which is faster than the nationwide estimated projection of -1.6%.

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Illinois Annual Job Openings

The BLS estimates 120 annual job openings, and a total of 1,290 jobs for Illinois Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators in 2026.

Nationwide, the prediction is 1,700 annual jobs and 19,000 total jobs in 2026.

What do Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators Make in Illinois?

In 2018 wages for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators ranged from $42,890 to $84,200 with $62,400 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $20.62 to $40.48. The median hourly rate was $30.

In 2017 the median pay for this field was $28.04 an hour.

The hourly rate grew by $1.96.

The median salary in Illinois is higher than the nationwide median salary.

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Top Illinois Metros for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators

The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators.

Metro Number Employed Annual Median Salary
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 410 n/a

Top States for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators Employment

The table below shows the states where most Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators work.

State Number Employed Annual Median Salary
Texas 1,460 $53,850
Illinois 1,100 $62,400
Missouri 1,090 $61,270
Georgia 1,090 $50,060
New York 600 $63,690
Pennsylvania 490 $52,900
Indiana 380 $50,270
California 360 $0
Wyoming 260 $56,810
Louisiana 240 $50,680
West Virginia 220 $51,300
New Jersey 220 $57,560
South Carolina 190 $73,930
Ohio 160 $55,840
North Carolina 160 $59,420
Massachusetts 130 $73,590
Kentucky 130 $38,920
Michigan 130 $60,760
Alabama 120 $40,050
Arkansas 100 $43,130

Below are the states where Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators get paid the most:

State Annual Median Salary
South Carolina $73,930
Massachusetts $73,590
Minnesota $71,980
Wisconsin $64,620
New York $63,690
Oregon $63,390
Washington $63,010
Illinois $62,400
Kansas $62,370
Missouri $61,270

What Major Will Prepare You For a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator Career?

References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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