Rail operator demographics and statistics in the US
Rail operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates rail operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our rail operator estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about rail operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 3,703 rail operators currently employed in the United States.
- 18.8% of all rail operators are women, while 81.3% are men.
- The average rail operator age is 46 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of rail operators is White (53.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.1%), Black or African American (16.6%) and Asian (6.3%).
- In 2022, women earned 99% of what men earned.
- 21% of all rail operators are LGBT.
- Rail operators are 67% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Rail operator demographics by:
Rail operator gender statistics
18.8% of rail operators are women and 81.3% of rail operators are men.
- Male, 81.3%
- Female, 18.7%
Rail operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 81.3% |
| Female | 18.7% |
Rail operator gender pay gap
Women earn 99¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$37,987
Female income
$37,736
Rail operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in rail operator positions over time. Currently, 18.8% of rail operators are female.
Rail operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 85.40% | 14.60% |
| 2011 | 93.27% | 6.73% |
| 2012 | 83.95% | 16.05% |
| 2013 | 91.28% | 8.72% |
| 2014 | 88.61% | 11.39% |
| 2015 | 88.56% | 11.44% |
| 2016 | 87.65% | 12.35% |
| 2017 | 84.08% | 15.92% |
| 2018 | 88.24% | 11.76% |
| 2019 | 88.05% | 11.95% |
| 2020 | 83.95% | 16.05% |
| 2021 | 81.25% | 18.75% |
Rail operator related jobs gender ratio
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Rail Operator | 81% | 19% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Rail operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among rail operators is White, which makes up 53.5% of all rail operators. Comparatively, 18.1% of rail operators are Hispanic or Latino and 16.6% of rail operators are Black or African American.
- White, 53.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.1%
- Black or African American, 16.6%
- Asian, 6.3%
- Unknown, 4.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%
Rail operator race
| Rail operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 53.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.1% |
| Black or African American | 16.6% |
| Asian | 6.3% |
| Unknown | 4.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.4% |
Rail operator race and ethnicity over time
See how rail operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Rail operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67.68% | 13.55% | 3.00% | 12.84% |
| 2011 | 65.00% | 16.69% | 2.99% | 12.00% |
| 2012 | 66.69% | 18.01% | 2.32% | 10.25% |
| 2013 | 69.17% | 14.19% | 3.75% | 10.42% |
| 2014 | 61.29% | 18.74% | 3.63% | 15.35% |
| 2015 | 62.06% | 19.57% | 3.00% | 12.84% |
| 2016 | 56.92% | 23.30% | 3.78% | 13.91% |
| 2017 | 64.22% | 15.69% | 3.88% | 12.36% |
| 2018 | 56.92% | 21.66% | 5.29% | 13.30% |
| 2019 | 63.05% | 15.70% | 3.98% | 14.58% |
| 2020 | 56.89% | 15.03% | 7.44% | 12.29% |
| 2021 | 53.50% | 16.58% | 6.33% | 18.10% |
Rail operator wage gap by race
According to our data, asian rail operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. White rail operators have the lowest average salary at $37,705.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $37,713 |
| White | $37,705 |
| Black or African American | $38,105 |
| Asian | $38,247 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $38,167 |
Average rail operator age
See how the average age of rail operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Rail operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| White | 47 | |
| Black or African American | 52 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 46 |
Rail operator age breakdown
The average age of rail operators is 40+ years years old, representing 74% of the rail operator population.
Rail operator age breakdown
| Rail Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 74% |
| 30-40 years | 19% |
| 20-30 years | 7% |
Rail operator educational attainment
The most common degree for rail operators is high school diploma, with 31% of rail operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 28% and bachelor's degree degree at 22%.
- High School Diploma, 31%
- Bachelor's, 28%
- Associate, 22%
- Diploma, 10%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Rail operators by degree level
| Rail operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 31% |
| Bachelor's | 28% |
| Associate | 22% |
| Diploma | 10% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Rail operator jobs you might like
Rail operator employment statistics
Most rail operators work for a private in the transportation industry.
Company size where rail operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where rail operators work.
Rail operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 6% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 15% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 13% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 36% |
| > 10,000 employees | 24% |
Rail operator jobs by company type
Employees with the rail operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most rail operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Rail operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 28% |
| Private | 67% |
| Government | 4% |
Rail operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for rail operators are transportation, manufacturing and construction.
Rail operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Transportation | 28% |
| Manufacturing | 22% |
| Fortune 500 | 12% |
| Construction | 9% |
| Energy | 7% |
| Real Estate | 4% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Professional | 3% |
| Government | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
Rail operator turnover and employment statistics
Rail operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for rail operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Rail operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Rail operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.83% |
| 2011 | 8.16% |
| 2012 | 5.85% |
| 2013 | 5.42% |
| 2014 | 2.31% |
| 2015 | 1.96% |
| 2016 | 5.03% |
| 2017 | 2.96% |
| 2018 | 0.49% |
| 2019 | 0.45% |
| 2020 | 1.26% |
| 2021 | 4.42% |
Average rail operator tenure
The average rail operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 213 rail operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Rail operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 22% |
| 1-2 years | 26% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 16% |
Rail operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of rail operators that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Valet Parker | 3.71% | 3,214 |
| Feeder | 5.16% | 695 |
| Yarder Engineer | 8.64% | 267 |
| Switchman | 10.74% | 518 |
| Bus Attendant | 15.05% | 51,391 |
| Rail Operator | 20.72% | - |
| Flight Attendant | 31.52% | 45,878 |
Similar rail operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Valet Parker | 3.71% | 3,214 |
| Feeder | 5.16% | 695 |
| Yarder Engineer | 8.64% | 267 |
| Switchman | 10.74% | 518 |
| Bus Attendant | 15.05% | 51,391 |
| Flight Attendant | 31.52% | 45,878 |