Locomotive Engineers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for locomotive engineers is $81,410, or $39.14 per hour. About 33,470 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $109,220 in New York to $61,190 in North Carolina.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 35 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $109,220 | $52.51 | 1,510 | 0.72 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $108,790 | $52.31 | 640 | 0.82 |
| 3 | Mississippi | $96,710 | $46.50 | 300 | 1.19 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $93,700 | $45.05 | 990 | 1.56 |
| 5 | Illinois | $93,320 | $44.87 | 2,340 | 1.79 |
| 6 | Indiana | $92,790 | $44.61 | 1,030 | 1.49 |
| 7 | Florida | $92,310 | $44.38 | 350 | 0.16 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $91,970 | $44.21 | 260 | 0.72 |
| 9 | Virginia | $90,780 | $43.64 | 790 | 0.89 |
| 10 | Montana | $90,220 | $43.38 | 470 | 4.31 |
| 11 | Iowa | $89,970 | $43.25 | 1,000 | 2.98 |
| 12 | Arizona | $89,840 | $43.19 | 490 | 0.70 |
| 13 | Colorado | $89,360 | $42.96 | 480 | 0.77 |
| 14 | South Carolina | $89,290 | $42.93 | 380 | 0.77 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $88,330 | $42.47 | 440 | 2.36 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $86,550 | $41.61 | 830 | 0.90 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $84,550 | $40.65 | 220 | 0.35 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $82,460 | $39.64 | 1,430 | 1.10 |
| 19 | Tennessee | $81,410 | $39.14 | 700 | 1.00 |
| 20 | Oregon | $79,130 | $38.05 | 580 | 1.37 |
| 21 | Texas | $79,000 | $37.98 | 3,780 | 1.25 |
| 22 | Arkansas | $78,930 | $37.95 | 620 | 2.19 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $78,910 | $37.94 | — | — |
| 24 | Missouri | $78,820 | $37.90 | 1,110 | 1.76 |
| 25 | Kentucky | $77,620 | $37.32 | 540 | 1.25 |
| 26 | Alabama | $77,600 | $37.31 | 590 | 1.30 |
| 27 | California | $77,070 | $37.06 | 1,570 | 0.40 |
| 28 | Kansas | $75,190 | $36.15 | 1,020 | 3.31 |
| 29 | Washington | $73,750 | $35.46 | 1,120 | 1.47 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $70,670 | $33.98 | 30 | 0.23 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $69,180 | $33.26 | 150 | 1.57 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $64,400 | $30.96 | 340 | 2.23 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $64,200 | $30.87 | 700 | 1.69 |
| 34 | Ohio | $63,280 | $30.42 | 200 | 0.17 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $61,190 | $29.42 | 340 | 0.32 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do locomotive engineers make?
The median annual wage for locomotive engineers in the United States is $81,410, or $39.14 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $60,680, and the top 10% earn $109,220.
How many locomotive engineers are employed in the U.S.?
About 33,470 people work as locomotive engineers nationwide.
Which state pays locomotive engineers the most?
New York pays the most at a median of $109,220, followed by Massachusetts ($108,790) and Mississippi ($96,710).
Which state pays locomotive engineers the least?
North Carolina has the lowest median at $61,190.
Where are locomotive engineers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Montana at 4.31×.