Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators pay range in Houston
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,640 a year or less, while the top 10% make $74,160 or more. The middle half of rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators in Houston earn between $44,790 and $54,630.
- $39K10th
- $45K25th
- $53KMedian
- $55K75th
- $74K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $52,970 | $4,414 | $25.47 |
| Median | $52,900 | $4,408 | $25.43 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $44,790 | $3,732 | $21.53 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $54,630 | $4,552 | $26.26 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators pay in Houston vs. Texas and the U.S.
Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators in Houston earn 10% less than the Texas average ($58,990) and 23% less than the U.S. average ($68,740). At the median the gap is -25% against the U.S. median of $70,070.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | $52,970 | $52,900 | $38,640 | $74,160 | 180 |
| Texas | $58,990 | $56,470 | $43,460 | $70,910 | 940 |
| United States | $68,740 | $70,070 | $45,640 | $87,420 | 19,580 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators salary after taxes in Houston
On the average salary of $52,970, a single filer in Houston takes home about $44,741 a year, or $3,728 a month and $1,721 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Houston a good place for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Houston area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 98.6), so the average $52,970 buys what about $53,706 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Houston ($49,410). A typical home costs $308,306, or 5.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators salary in other Texas cities
Houston ranks 3rd of 3 Texas metro areas for this job; Dallas pays the most ($63,030).
All Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators salaries in Texas
Highest-paying cities for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators
New York, NY pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($80,270).
- New York, NY$80,270
- Boston, MA$79,620
- Baltimore, MD$77,450
- Los Angeles, CA$76,850
- Riverside, CA$68,710
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators salary by city
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Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators salary in Houston: questions
How much do rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators make an hour in Houston?
$25.47 an hour on average, and $25.44 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators salary in Houston?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,640 a year and the 25th percentile is $44,790, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators take-home pay in Houston?
About $44,741 a year ($3,728 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $52,970. Texas has no state income tax.
Do rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators earn more in Houston than elsewhere?
The average here is 23% less than the U.S. average for this job ($68,740).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 47-4061; area Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX (26420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.8%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.43, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.43).
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