Jobs Similar to Rail Car Repairers
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to rail car repairers, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Maintenance and Repair Workers, Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics and Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers.
Rail Car Repairers: $67,530 median pay · usual preparation: High school.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Rail Car Repairers) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 83% | $49,590−27% | Training or associate |
| 2 | Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesSame group | 82% | $65,510−3% | Training or associate |
| 3 | Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers | 82% | $56,210−17% | Training or associate |
| 4 | Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers | 81% | $39,630−41% | High school |
| 5 | Industrial Machinery Mechanics | 81% | $64,520−4% | Training or associate |
| 6 | Millwrights | 81% | $65,700−3% | High school |
| 7 | Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | 81% | $74,340+10% | Training or associate |
| 8 | Maintenance Workers, Machinery | 81% | $60,850−10% | Training or associate |
| 9 | Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | 81% | $63,800−6% | Training or associate |
| 10 | Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers | 80% | $109,910+63% | Training or associate |
| 11 | Aircraft Mechanics and Service TechniciansSame group | 80% | $79,870+18% | Training or associate |
| 12 | Hydroelectric Plant Technicians | 80% | $102,040Broader BLS group · not compared | Training or associate |
| 13 | Engine and Other Machine Assemblers | 79% | $53,710−20% | High school |
| 14 | Wind Turbine Service Technicians | 79% | $64,120−5% | Training or associate |
| 15 | Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsSame group | 79% | $61,770−9% | Training or associate |
| 16 | Pile Driver Operators | 79% | $73,300+9% | High school |
| 17 | Continuous Mining Machine Operators | 79% | $61,810−8% | High school |
| 18 | Commercial Divers | 79% | $72,990+8% | Training or associate |
| 19 | Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons | 78% | $61,290−9% | High school |
| 20 | Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | 78% | $61,010−10% | Training or associate |
- 1Maintenance and Repair Workers, General
83% similar · $49,590 (−27%) · Training or associate
- 2Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
82% similar · $65,510 (−3%) · Training or associate · Same group
- 3Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers
82% similar · $56,210 (−17%) · Training or associate
- 4Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers
81% similar · $39,630 (−41%) · High school
- 5Industrial Machinery Mechanics
81% similar · $64,520 (−4%) · Training or associate
- 6Millwrights
81% similar · $65,700 (−3%) · High school
- 7Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door
81% similar · $74,340 (+10%) · Training or associate
- 8Maintenance Workers, Machinery
81% similar · $60,850 (−10%) · Training or associate
- 9Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
81% similar · $63,800 (−6%) · Training or associate
- 10Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
80% similar · $109,910 (+63%) · Training or associate
- 11Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians
80% similar · $79,870 (+18%) · Training or associate · Same group
- 12Hydroelectric Plant Technicians
80% similar · $102,040 (broader group) · Training or associate
- 13Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
79% similar · $53,710 (−20%) · High school
- 14Wind Turbine Service Technicians
79% similar · $64,120 (−5%) · Training or associate
- 15Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
79% similar · $61,770 (−9%) · Training or associate · Same group
- 16Pile Driver Operators
79% similar · $73,300 (+9%) · High school
- 17Continuous Mining Machine Operators
79% similar · $61,810 (−8%) · High school
- 18Commercial Divers
79% similar · $72,990 (+8%) · Training or associate
- 19Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons
78% similar · $61,290 (−9%) · High school
- 20Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
78% similar · $61,010 (−10%) · Training or associate
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than rail car repairers.
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for rail car repairers also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where rail car repairers is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (86)
- Engine and Other Machine Assemblers (86)
- Maintenance Workers, Machinery (85)
- Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators (84)
- Pile Driver Operators (83)
- Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door (82)
- Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers (81)
- Mechanical Door Repairers (81)
- Millwrights (81)
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General (80)
Questions about jobs like rail car repairers
What jobs are most similar to rail car repairers?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Maintenance and Repair Workers (83% similar), Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics (82% similar), Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (82% similar), Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers (81% similar) and Industrial Machinery Mechanics (81% similar).
Which jobs like rail car repairers pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers ($109,910, +63%; usually training or an associate degree), Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians ($79,870, +18%; usually training or an associate degree) and Control and Valve Installers and Repairers ($74,340, +10%; usually training or an associate degree) have the highest BLS median pay compared with rail car repairers ($67,530). Without more preparation than rail car repairers usually need: Pile Driver Operators.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.