How much does a Locomotive Engineer make?
A Locomotive Engineer earns a median annual salary of $81,410 in the United States, which works out to roughly $39.14 per hour for full-time work. Most Locomotive Engineers earn between $60,680 at the entry level and $109,220 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $75,190 and $93,260 a year.
That is $20,020 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Locomotive Engineer salary range by percentile
Half of all Locomotive Engineers earn between $75,190 and $93,260 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $60,680 | $29.17 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $75,190 | $36.15 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $81,410 | $39.14 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $93,260 | $44.84 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $109,220 | $52.51 |
Highest-paying states for Locomotive Engineer
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. New York leads the country for Locomotive Engineer pay at $109,220 a year, followed by Massachusetts ($108,790) and Mississippi ($96,710). At the other end, North Carolina posts the lowest median at $61,190 — a gap of $48,030 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $109,220 | $52.51 | +34% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $108,790 | $52.30 | +34% |
| 3 | Mississippi | $96,710 | $46.50 | +19% |
| 4 | Minnesota | $93,700 | $45.05 | +15% |
| 5 | Illinois | $93,320 | $44.87 | +15% |
Locomotive Engineer salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 35 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 33,000 people work as Locomotive Engineers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $85,900 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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Related salaries
Other transportation roles with similar pay.