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Switchman vs railroad dispatcher

The differences between switchmen and railroad dispatchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a switchman has an average salary of $57,143, which is higher than the $39,504 average annual salary of a railroad dispatcher.

The top three skills for a switchman include switches, ladders and rail cars. The most important skills for a railroad dispatcher are locomotives, train crews, and .

Switchman vs railroad dispatcher overview

SwitchmanRailroad Dispatcher
Yearly salary$57,143$39,504
Hourly rate$27.47$18.99
Growth rate4%4%
Number of jobs5184,224
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 47%High School Diploma, 40%
Average age4543
Years of experience-2

Switchman vs railroad dispatcher salary

Switchmen and railroad dispatchers have different pay scales, as shown below.

SwitchmanRailroad Dispatcher
Average salary$57,143$39,504
Salary rangeBetween $39,000 And $81,000Between $28,000 And $55,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between switchman and railroad dispatcher education

There are a few differences between a switchman and a railroad dispatcher in terms of educational background:

SwitchmanRailroad Dispatcher
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 47%High School Diploma, 40%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Switchman vs railroad dispatcher demographics

Here are the differences between switchmen' and railroad dispatchers' demographics:

SwitchmanRailroad Dispatcher
Average age4543
Gender ratioMale, 95.4% Female, 4.6%Male, 68.4% Female, 31.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 2.0% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 3.8% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between switchman and railroad dispatcher duties and responsibilities

Switchman example responsibilities.

  • Manage daily inspections and audits of locomotives.
  • Complete safety training and follow all FRA safety regulations on a daily basis.
  • Operate track switches, couple cars, and work on freight trains in yard operations and on the road.
  • Qualify in GCOR, HAZMAT, OSHA, EPA and ODOT regulations.
  • Train & supervise various employees to be safe and knowledgeable conductors.
  • Process and evaluate train documents to assure compliance with FRA and company guidelines.
  • Show more

Railroad dispatcher example responsibilities.

  • Direct inbound and outbound logistics operations, such as transportation and warehouse activities, safety performance, and logistics quality management.
  • Follow all GCOR and SOI rules with no injuries.

Switchman vs railroad dispatcher skills

Common switchman skills
  • Switches, 27%
  • Ladders, 19%
  • Rail Cars, 12%
  • Air Hoses, 11%
  • Locomotives, 7%
  • Electrical Connections, 5%
Common railroad dispatcher skills
  • Locomotives, 55%
  • Train Crews, 45%

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