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What does a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers salary really buy you in Maryland?
Maryland is 5.0% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Maryland's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 105.0, meaning prices are 5.0% higher the national average. A Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers earning $79,180 in Maryland has the equivalent purchasing power of $75,409 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Maryland's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $49,920 | $47,542 | $-2,377 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $49,920 | $47,542 | $-2,377 |
| Median (P50) | $79,180 | $75,409 | $-3,770 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $84,860 | $80,819 | $-4,040 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $104,260 | $99,295 | $-4,964 |
While $79,180 sounds high, Maryland's elevated cost of living erases 5% of that salary's purchasing power. Your real buying power is $75,409. Consider whether the higher pay offsets the higher costs.
Maryland's RPP of 105.0 puts it 5.0% above the national baseline cost of living. A Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers needs that premium in nominal pay just to maintain the same purchasing power as an average-cost state.
After applying Maryland's RPP, the $79,180 median salary translates to $75,410 in real terms — a 4.8% loss. That difference can cover several months of expenses over a year for a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers.
Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers, Maryland places #6 of 24 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.
Where does Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Maryland ranks #6 out of 24 states for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers take-home pay in Maryland after taxes →
A Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers in Maryland earns a median salary of $79,180 per year. After adjusting for Maryland's cost of living (RPP=105.0), the real purchasing power is $75,409 — a -4.8% difference.
Maryland's cost of living is 5.0% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Maryland is 105.0 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers in Maryland: $79,180 x (100 / 105.0) = $75,409. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers's nominal salary of $79,180 in Maryland has 4.8% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $75,409. However, Maryland may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.
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