The top 11 highest paying industries for rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $53,600, mining (except oil and gas) is the highest paying industry for rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers. It is followed by mining industry (average annual salary $53,600). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers in a specific industry, use the links in the table.
| Rank | Industry | Average Salary i | # of Empl. i |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mining (except Oil and Gas) | $53,600 |
90 |
| 2 | Mining | $53,600 |
90 |
| 3 | Coal Mining | $53,490 |
90 |
| 4 | Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation) | $49,780 |
30 |
| 5 | Federal, State, and Local Government | $49,780 |
30 |
| 6 | Rail Transportation | $47,110 |
2,080 |
| 7 | Support Activities for Water Transportation | $46,860 |
40 |
| 8 | Manufacturing | $45,520 |
70 |
| 9 | Transportation and Warehousing | $43,600 |
3,670 |
| 10 | Support Activities for Rail Transportation | $39,410 |
1,510 |
| 11 | Support Activities for Transportation | $39,410 |
1,550 |