SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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. Excludes “Engineers” (17-2011 through 17-2199).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 53-4011.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $60,680 | $5,057 | $1,167 | $29.17 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $75,190 | $6,266 | $1,446 | $36.15 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $81,410 | $6,784 | $1,566 | $39.14 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $93,260 | $7,772 | $1,793 | $44.84 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $109,220 | $9,102 | $2,100 | $52.51 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Locomotive Engineers is $81,410, which is 60% higher. Among the 50 occupations of the field Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks number 8 by median pay. With 33,470 jobs, it makes up about 2.2 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Locomotive Engineers pay by state
The highest median pay was in New York ($109,220), Massachusetts ($108,790) and Mississippi ($96,710). The lowest was in North Carolina ($61,190), Ohio ($63,280) and Louisiana ($64,200). The most jobs were in Texas (3,780), Illinois (2,340) and California (1,570). The occupation is most concentrated in Montana, where its share of all jobs is 4.3 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 1,510 | $109,220 | $98,720 | $52.51 |
| Massachusetts | 640 | $108,790 | $118,340 | $52.31 |
| Mississippi | 300 | $96,710 | $125,980 | $46.50 |
| Minnesota | 990 | $93,700 | $88,730 | $45.05 |
| Illinois | 2,340 | $93,320 | $102,480 | $44.87 |
| Indiana | 1,030 | $92,790 | $90,740 | $44.61 |
| Florida | 350 | $92,310 | $93,850 | $44.38 |
| Oklahoma | 260 | $91,970 | $93,560 | $44.21 |
| Virginia | 790 | $90,780 | $85,310 | $43.64 |
| Montana | 470 | $90,220 | $95,640 | $43.38 |
| Iowa | 1,000 | $89,970 | $86,180 | $43.25 |
| Arizona | 490 | $89,840 | $91,490 | $43.19 |
| Colorado | 480 | $89,360 | $92,960 | $42.96 |
| South Carolina | 380 | $89,290 | $83,100 | $42.93 |
| New Mexico | 440 | $88,330 | $86,590 | $42.47 |
| New Jersey | 830 | $86,550 | $88,640 | $41.61 |
| Wisconsin | 220 | $84,550 | $77,030 | $40.65 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,430 | $82,460 | $79,680 | $39.64 |
| Tennessee | 700 | $81,410 | $85,470 | $39.14 |
| Oregon | 580 | $79,130 | $76,640 | $38.05 |
| Texas | 3,780 | $79,000 | $73,530 | $37.98 |
| Arkansas | 620 | $78,930 | $75,780 | $37.95 |
| Wyoming | not published | $78,910 | $84,680 | $37.94 |
| Missouri | 1,110 | $78,820 | $78,270 | $37.90 |
| Kentucky | 540 | $77,620 | $83,310 | $37.32 |
| Alabama | 590 | $77,600 | $70,290 | $37.31 |
| California | 1,570 | $77,070 | $75,600 | $37.06 |
| Kansas | 1,020 | $75,190 | $72,180 | $36.15 |
| Washington | 1,120 | $73,750 | $76,070 | $35.46 |
| New Hampshire | 30 | $70,670 | $66,920 | $33.98 |
| South Dakota | 150 | $69,180 | $70,010 | $33.26 |
| West Virginia | 340 | $64,400 | $67,970 | $30.96 |
| Louisiana | 700 | $64,200 | $64,920 | $30.87 |
| Ohio | 200 | $63,280 | $66,350 | $30.42 |
| North Carolina | 340 | $61,190 | $61,880 | $29.42 |
| Delaware | 290 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels$92,460 a year
- Transportation Inspectors$92,100 a year
- Subway and Streetcar Operators$86,380 a year
- Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters$78,000 a year
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators$77,320 a year
- Wellhead Pumpers$69,960 a year
Common questions
How much do Locomotive Engineers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $81,410 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $60,680 and the highest-paid 10% more than $109,220.
How many people work as Locomotive Engineers?
About 33,470 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.