Locomotive Engineers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for locomotive engineers in the U.S. is $81,410 ($39.14 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $81,410
- Mean annual wage
- $85,900
- Median hourly wage
- $39.14
- Employment
- 33,470
33,470 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $60,680 | $29.17 |
| 25th percentile | $75,190 | $36.15 |
| Median (50th) | $81,410 | $39.14 |
| 75th percentile | $93,260 | $44.84 |
| 90th percentile | $109,220 | $52.51 |
Highest-paying states for locomotive engineers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $109,220 | 1,510 |
| Massachusetts | $108,790 | 640 |
| Mississippi | $96,710 | 300 |
| Minnesota | $93,700 | 990 |
| Illinois | $93,320 | 2,340 |
| Indiana | $92,790 | 1,030 |
| Florida | $92,310 | 350 |
| Oklahoma | $91,970 | 260 |
| Virginia | $90,780 | 790 |
| Montana | $90,220 | 470 |
Lowest-paying states
- North Carolina: $61,190 median annual wage
- Ohio: $63,280 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $64,200 median annual wage
- West Virginia: $64,400 median annual wage
- South Dakota: $69,180 median annual wage
About this occupation
Drive electric, diesel-electric, steam, or gas-turbine-electric locomotives to transport passengers or freight. Interpret train orders, electronic or manual signals, and railroad rules and regulations.
Typical tasks
- Monitor train loading procedures to ensure that freight or rolling stock are loaded or unloaded without damage.
- Inspect locomotives to verify adequate fuel, sand, water, or other supplies before each run or to check for mechanical problems.
- Monitor gauges or meters that measure speed, amperage, battery charge, or air pressure in brake lines or in main reservoirs.
- Check to ensure that brake examination tests are conducted at shunting stations.
- Interpret train orders, signals, or railroad rules and regulations that govern the operation of locomotives.
- Confer with conductors or traffic control center personnel via radiophones to issue or receive information concerning stops, delays, or oncoming trains.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 2.1% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 40.0% |
| Some college, no degree | 33.2% |
| Associate's degree | 11.1% |
| Bachelor's degree | 11.7% |
| Master's degree | 1.7% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.2% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.