Prevailing Wage for Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers
The prevailing wage for a Rail Yard Engineer, including positions sometimes titled Hostler or Carman, is set by the DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data. DOL assigns four experience levels, each with a different wage floor, and the floor shifts considerably depending on which U.S. city the worksite is located in.
See all jobs for Rail Yard EngineerLook up your work address
Level 1 covers entry-level Rail Yard Engineers with limited experience, typically working under direct supervision on routine switching or hostling tasks. Employers filing at this level indicate the role requires minimal independent judgment and no specialized prior experience in yard operations.
Level 2 is the most common filing level for Rail Yard Engineers. It applies to qualified workers with some independent operating experience who handle standard yard switching duties with moderate oversight, but do not yet carry lead or instructional responsibilities.
Level 3 covers experienced Rail Yard Engineers who work independently across a range of switching, spotting, and hostling assignments. These workers typically bring several years of hands-on yard experience and may informally guide less experienced crew members on day-to-day operations.
Level 4 applies to fully competent Rail Yard Engineers with extensive experience, often in senior or lead capacities. Workers at this level are expected to operate with full autonomy, handle complex or non-routine yard movements, and may carry formal supervisory or training responsibilities.
Prevailing Wage for Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
See all jobs for Rail Yard Engineer
See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Rail Yard Engineer and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers
Verify which SOC your employer filed under
Titles like Engineer or Hostler sometimes get classified under locomotive engineer or transportation supervisor SOC codes instead of 53-4013, which means the LCA wage floor may not match the Rail Yard Engineer prevailing wage. Confirm the SOC on the certified LCA before accepting an offer.
Watch how Atlanta compares to Chicago offers
Atlanta postings for this occupation carry a meaningfully lower prevailing wage floor at every level than Chicago or New York roles. If you are comparing offers across cities, factor in that the L4 floor in Atlanta sits well below the L1 floor in some other metros for this occupation.
Confirm base salary covers the floor before counting bonuses
Signing bonuses and shift-differential pay are typically excluded when DOL calculates whether your base rate meets the prevailing wage for a sponsored Rail Yard Engineer or Hostler position. Only guaranteed recurring base wages count toward the compliance threshold on the LCA.
Use Migrate Mate to see which railroads have sponsored before
Rail Yard Engineer sponsorship is concentrated among a small number of large freight and transit operators. Migrate Mate shows each employer's historical visa sponsorship counts, so you can quickly identify which companies have actually sponsored this occupation rather than searching blindly.
Jobs for Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Rail Yard EngineerPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 53-4013.00 alongside Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Carman Prevailing Wage
Carman Prevailing Wage
Carman positions fall under SOC 53-4013.00 (Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Engineer Prevailing Wage
Engineer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Engineer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 53-4013.00 (Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Hostler Prevailing Wage
Hostler Prevailing Wage
Hostler is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 53-4013.00 (Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Rail Yard Engineer Prevailing Wage
Rail Yard Engineer Prevailing Wage
Rail Yard Engineer positions fall under SOC 53-4013.00 (Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Railcar Switcher Prevailing Wage
Railcar Switcher Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Railcar Switcher for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 53-4013.00 (Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Railroad Engineer Prevailing Wage
Railroad Engineer Prevailing Wage
Railroad Engineer is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 53-4013.00 (Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Switchman Prevailing Wage
Switchman Prevailing Wage
Switchman positions fall under SOC 53-4013.00 (Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Yard Engineer Prevailing Wage
Yard Engineer Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Yard Engineer for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 53-4013.00 (Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Rail Yard Engineers?
DOL calculates the prevailing wage for Rail Yard Engineers using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The agency maps the occupation to SOC code 53-4013 and publishes four wage levels derived from the wage distribution for that code in each surveyed geographic area. Employers reference these figures through the OFLC Wage Search when completing a Labor Condition Application.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
DOL defines Level 1 as entry-level with close supervision, Level 2 as qualified with some independent work, Level 3 as experienced with full independence, and Level 4 as fully competent with senior or lead scope. The level on your LCA should reflect the actual duties and supervision structure of the posted role. If the job description matches experienced independent yard operations, but the employer filed at Level 1, that mismatch is worth raising before signing.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Rail Yard Engineer role differ so much by city?
The DOL uses regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys to set wage floors, so each metropolitan area produces its own wage distribution for SOC 53-4013. The LCA worksite rule requires employers to use the wage for the city where work is actually performed, not the employer's headquarters. Markets with higher rail freight density or unionized workforces tend to produce higher survey wages, which is why Chicago and New York floors differ substantially from Atlanta.
What happens if a sponsored Rail Yard Engineer offer falls below the prevailing wage?
An LCA certified below the correct prevailing wage floor can expose the employer to OFLC audit, back-wage liability, and debarment from future sponsorship filings. For the sponsored worker, a compliant wage is a legal requirement of the H-1B or PERM petition, so an offer below the floor cannot lawfully proceed to visa filing without correction. USCIS will not approve a petition tied to a non-compliant LCA.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Rail Yard Engineer position in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool, which lets you look up SOC 53-4013 by metropolitan area and wage level. Enter the worksite city, select the occupation, and the tool returns the current DOL wage floor for each of the four levels. Cross-check the level against the actual job description to confirm the employer has filed at the correct level. The O*NET occupation profile for SOC 53-4013 also provides supporting detail on scope and duties useful for that comparison.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers right now.
Search Jobs for Rail Yard Engineer