Locomotive Engineers salary
Locomotive Engineers earn a median of $81,410 a year ($39.14/hr) in the U.S. – from $61,190 in North Carolina to $109,220 in New York. Enter your pay below to see how you compare.
Median pay, United States$39.14/hr · $81,410 a year
Pay range
90% earn more$60,680$29.17/hr
75% earn more$75,190$36.15/hr
half earn more, half less$81,410$39.14/hr
25% earn more$93,260$44.84/hr
top 10% earn more$109,220$52.51/hr
pulled up by top earners$85,900$41.30/hr
How does my pay compare?
Enter your pay to see where you stand among locomotive engineers. Nothing you type leaves your device.
Pay by state
States ranked by median annual wage for locomotive engineers. Tap a state for its minimum wage.
1,510 jobs · $52.51/hr$109,220
640 jobs · $52.31/hr$108,790
300 jobs · $46.50/hr$96,710
990 jobs · $45.05/hr$93,700
2,340 jobs · $44.87/hr$93,320
1,030 jobs · $44.61/hr$92,790
350 jobs · $44.38/hr$92,310
260 jobs · $44.21/hr$91,970
790 jobs · $43.64/hr$90,780
470 jobs · $43.38/hr$90,220
1,000 jobs · $43.25/hr$89,970
490 jobs · $43.19/hr$89,840
480 jobs · $42.96/hr$89,360
380 jobs · $42.93/hr$89,290
440 jobs · $42.47/hr$88,330
830 jobs · $41.61/hr$86,550
220 jobs · $40.65/hr$84,550
1,430 jobs · $39.64/hr$82,460
700 jobs · $39.14/hr$81,410
580 jobs · $38.05/hr$79,130
3,780 jobs · $37.98/hr$79,000
620 jobs · $37.95/hr$78,930
jobs n/a · $37.94/hr$78,910
1,110 jobs · $37.90/hr$78,820
540 jobs · $37.32/hr$77,620
590 jobs · $37.31/hr$77,600
1,570 jobs · $37.06/hr$77,070
1,020 jobs · $36.15/hr$75,190
1,120 jobs · $35.46/hr$73,750
30 jobs · $33.98/hr$70,670
150 jobs · $33.26/hr$69,180
340 jobs · $30.96/hr$64,400
700 jobs · $30.87/hr$64,200
200 jobs · $30.42/hr$63,280
340 jobs · $29.42/hr$61,190
No wage estimate published for: Delaware.
Related jobs
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC code 53-4011. Wages exclude the self-employed. All jobs · Minimum wage by state
Questions & answers
How much do locomotive engineers make?
The median wage for locomotive engineers in the U.S. was $39.14 an hour or $81,410 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $75,190 and $93,260 a year.
Which state pays locomotive engineers the most?
New York has the highest median wage for locomotive engineers: $109,220 a year. The lowest published median is in North Carolina at $61,190. Living costs also differ a lot between states.
How many locomotive engineers are there?
BLS estimates 33,470 locomotive engineers were employed in the U.S. in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
What is the difference between median and average pay?
The median is the middle wage: half of workers earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high earners pull it up. The median is usually the better guide to typical pay.
What does the 10th or 90th percentile mean?
The 10th percentile is the wage that only 10% of workers earn less than – often entry-level pay. The 90th percentile is the wage that only 10% earn more than – usually the most experienced or highest-paid workers.