What is the salary of a Rail Car Repairer?

The typical salary range is $45,976 - $91,952 per year.

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Tech & EngineeringStable

Rail Car Repairer

Operational-level

Also known as: Air Brake Adjuster, Air Brake Man, Air Brake Mechanic, Air Brake Rigger

Tech & EngineeringBachelor's Degree

Job Description

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul railroad rolling stock, mine cars, or mass transit rail cars.

Railcar MaintenanceRolling Stock RepairMass Transit RepairMechanical TradesIndustrial MaintenanceTechnical DiagnosticsVehicle MechanicsTechnicalAutomotiveSkilled Trade

Skills employers are looking for in 2027

Software and technologies flagged by O*NET as Hot or In-Demand for this role.

Hot technologies

Adobe Acrobat Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Windows Microsoft Word Mozilla Firefox

In-demand software

Disassembler software

Job Outlook 2025-2035

Projected growth

+2.6%

US average: +3.5%

Job openings

1,600

per year (US)

Jobs today

20,100

in 2025 → 20,600 (2035)

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections; O*NET Bright Outlook. Read the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook

Work Environment

How this work is typically performed, based on O*NET work context data.

Email & digital communication

Low

Working in a team

High

Contact with others

High

Freedom to make decisions

High

Time pressure

High

Time spent sitting

Low

Working outdoors

High

Indoor, climate-controlled

Low

Dealing with customers

Moderate

Level of competition

Moderate

Source: O*NET Work Context (v31.0)

Future Perspective

Stable Job Market

This field maintains steady employment levels with consistent demand. Job opportunities remain available with moderate competition.

Career ladder

Often before this role

Apprentice Mechanic
Industrial Maintenance Technician
Automotive Mechanic

Rail Car Repairer

Where it can lead

Lead Rail Car Repairer
Maintenance Supervisor (Rail)
Quality Control Inspector (Rail)

Impact of AI on this Job

AI will likely enhance this career by providing predictive maintenance analytics, intelligent diagnostic tools, and automated inventory management for parts. While AI may streamline some tasks, the hands-on expertise for complex repairs and overhauls will remain critical. Workers will need to adapt to using AI-powered systems to improve efficiency and accuracy.

Salary

$67,530

Median annual wage, BLS 2025

Required Education

Bachelor's Degree

Minimum educational requirement for this position