Average Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, And Hostlers Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, And Hostlers is $60,600 per year. The middle 50% earn between $52,780 and $80,360, with 3,920 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 17 states and 2 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, And Hostlers pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $44,540
- 25th
- $52,780
- Median
- $60,600
- 75th
- $80,360
- 90th
- $100,270
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, And Hostlers earn close to the national median for all US workers. Solidly middle-income.
The spread between entry-level and top-end pay is typical for US occupations. Experience and specialization matter, but the range is not unusually wide.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers from 2024 to 2034. Growth is below the US average of roughly 4% across all occupations. The field is relatively stable but not expanding quickly.
- Projected growth
- +0.3%
- 0 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 200
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave.
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
A high-school diploma is typically sufficient for entry, with much of the training happening on the job.
Where Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, And Hostlers earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is West Virginia at $91,380, about 50.8% above the national median. At the metro level, Salt Lake City-Murray, UT leads with a median of $61,230.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $91,380 | 40 |
| Florida | $80,360 | 120 |
| New Jersey | $71,030 | 130 |
| California | $67,160 | 190 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,380 | 40 |
| Oklahoma | $63,400 | 70 |
| Kentucky | $62,070 | 110 |
| Colorado | $60,770 | N/A |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $61,230 | N/A |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $53,890 | 60 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, And Hostlers rose from $49,330 to $60,600, a gain of +22.8% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $49,330 would need to be worth $62,120 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $60,600 is −$1,520 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -2.4% in purchasing power.
Adjusted for inflation, pay has lost ground. Nominal growth of 22.8% has not kept up with rising prices.
- Nominal change
- +22.8%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- -2.4%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, And Hostlers median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $60,600
- 2024
- $58,030
- 2023
- $57,070
- 2022
- $56,340
- 2021
- $61,090
- 2020
- $51,720
- 2019
- $49,330
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Locomotive Engineers
- $81,410
- Subway And Streetcar Operators
- $86,380
- Traffic Technicians
- $59,090
Common salary questions for Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, And Hostlers
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, And Hostlers workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.