Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators in North Carolina

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

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

• Projected employment for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators in North Carolina is growing faster than average.

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

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

• Transportation & Materials Moving
• Ground Transportation
• Railroad & Railway Transportation

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

There were approximately 160 workers employed as Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators in this state in 2018.

There were 240 Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators employed in this state in 2017.

That’s a decline of 80 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

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

Job Projections for North Carolina

Jobs for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators in this state are growing at a rate of 5.6% which is faster than the nationwide estimated projection of -1.6%.

North Carolina Annual Job Openings

The BLS is projecting 50 annual Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators job openings in North Carolina, and 570 total jobs in the year 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 North Carolina?

In 2018 wages for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators ranged from $27,370 to $80,680 with $59,420 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $13.16 to $38.79. The median hourly rate was $28.57.

In 2017 the median pay for this field was $22.8 an hour.

The hourly rate grew by $5.77.

The median salary in North Carolina is higher than the nationwide median salary.

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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

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online

More about our data sources and methodologies.