Average Salary for Locomotive Engineers
SOC 53-4011 · Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Locomotive Engineers in the United States is $77,400 ($37.21/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $60,980 at the 10th percentile to $100,690 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 31,990 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 42% since 2014.
Median Annual
$77,400
Mean Annual
$81,540
10th Pct
$60,980
75th Pct
$84,230
Employment
31,990
Salary Distribution
$61k
10th
$73k
25th
$77k
Median
$84k
75th
$101k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $80,490 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $72,730 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $64,170 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $63,750 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| New York | $107,290 |
| Massachusetts | $104,950 |
| Connecticut | $103,010 |
| Iowa | $87,550 |
| Oklahoma | $86,520 |
| Nebraska | $84,870 |
| New Jersey | $84,230 |
| Illinois | $83,690 |
| Delaware | $82,920 |
| Wisconsin | $82,190 |
| Florida | $82,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $81,210 |
| Arizona | $81,170 |
| Montana | $81,160 |
| Colorado | $79,960 |
| Utah | $79,800 |
| Kentucky | $79,690 |
| Minnesota | $79,370 |
| Oregon | $77,210 |
| Texas | $77,080 |
| Arkansas | $77,010 |
| Wyoming | $76,990 |
| Missouri | $76,910 |
| Kansas | $76,680 |
| Tennessee | $76,290 |
| Georgia | $75,680 |
| California | $74,710 |
| Alabama | $73,780 |
| Washington | $73,410 |
| West Virginia | $72,660 |
| South Dakota | $67,950 |
| New Hampshire | $65,370 |
| North Carolina | $64,110 |
| Indiana | $63,160 |
| Ohio | $62,130 |
| Virginia | $61,350 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Locomotive Engineers broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Rail Transportation | $77,750 |
| Rail Transportation | $77,750 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $77,400 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $77,400 |
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $67,370 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $67,370 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $64,170 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $64,170 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $64,170 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $64,170 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $64,170 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | $57,220 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation | $54,080 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land | $54,080 |
| Support Activities for Rail Transportation | $52,660 |
| Mining (except Oil and Gas) | $52,650 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $52,000 |
| Manufacturing | $45,140 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $33,600 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $77,400 |
| 2023 | $74,770 |
| 2022 | $74,570 |
| 2021 | $79,740 |
| 2020 | $71,870 |
| 2019 | $67,090 |
| 2018 | $62,100 |
| 2017 | $60,990 |
| 2016 | $57,670 |
| 2015 | $56,240 |
| 2014 | $54,500 |