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What is a freight car repairer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a freight car repairer. For example, did you know that they make an average of $27.34 an hour? That's $56,862 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 8% and produce 17,700 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreFreight Car RepairerUS Average
Salary
4.4

Avg. Salary $56,862

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
5.4

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
7.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.68%

Asian 1.59%

Black or African American 3.79%

Hispanic or Latino 11.53%

Unknown 3.68%

White 78.73%

Gender

female 6.06%

male 93.94%

Age - 44
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44
Stress level
5.4

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.0

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a freight car repairer

  1. Explore freight car repairer education requirements

    Most common freight car repairer degrees

    Associate

    40.0 %

    High School Diploma

    35.0 %

    Certificate

    15.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific freight car repairer skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Hand Tools61.61%
    Air Brake Systems15.19%
    Torches13.37%
    Cranes9.83%
  3. Complete relevant freight car repairer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New freight car repairers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a freight car repairer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real freight car repairer resumes.
  4. Research freight car repairer duties and responsibilities

    • Remove defective parts from the equipment by using cranes, hand tools, power tools and hoists.
    • Change out turnbuckles and couplers.
  5. Prepare your freight car repairer resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your freight car repairer resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a freight car repairer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable freight car repairer resume templates

    Build a professional freight car repairer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your freight car repairer resume.
    Freight Car Repairer Resume
    Freight Car Repairer Resume
    Freight Car Repairer Resume
    Freight Car Repairer Resume
    Freight Car Repairer Resume
    Freight Car Repairer Resume
    Freight Car Repairer Resume
    Freight Car Repairer Resume
    Freight Car Repairer Resume
  6. Apply for freight car repairer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a freight car repairer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first freight car repairer job

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Average freight car repairer salary

The average freight car repairer salary in the United States is $56,862 per year or $27 per hour. Freight car repairer salaries range between $30,000 and $106,000 per year.

Average freight car repairer salary
$56,862 Yearly
$27.34 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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