The median annual wage for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $57,390 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $67,010.
Pay spans roughly $47,540 at the 10th percentile to $85,040 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $27.59 per hour. An estimated 600 people work as railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
| Median (annual) | $57,390 |
| Mean (annual) | $67,010 |
| Median (hourly) | $27.59 |
| 10th percentile | $47,540 |
| 90th percentile | $85,040 |
| Employment | 600 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.