Paycheck Atlas

Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers salary in Chicago, IL

The median railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN earns $72,180 a year, 5% above the US median. After tax that is roughly $4,670 a month.

10th percentile
$48,410
25th percentile
$48,410
Median percentile
$72,180
75th percentile
$86,590
90th percentile
$86,590

Based on 560 employed. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience; reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only an approximation.

What you keep

$56,036 take-home a year
Gross pay$72,180
Federal income tax−$7,050
Social Security + Medicare−$5,522
Illinois income tax (approx.)−$3,573
Monthly take-home$4,670
Every two weeks$2,155

Does it go far here?

$69,675Median pay in Chicago, IL is worth this at average US prices (local price level 103.6 vs 100).
31%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($1,430 a month, Census ACS).

Top-paying jobs in Chicago, IL

JobMedian pay
Chief Executives$344,960
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$293,490
Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric$284,630
Nurse Anesthetists$265,880
Psychiatrists$258,750
Emergency Medicine Physicians$239,200
General Internal Medicine Physicians$226,060
Family Medicine Physicians$225,080

All railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers salaries · Take-home pay in Illinois