Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for railroad conductors and yardmasters is $78,000, or $37.50 per hour. About 46,440 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $102,260 in Oklahoma to $52,380 in Kentucky.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 33 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma | $102,260 | $49.16 | 310 | 0.61 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $83,610 | $40.20 | 2,750 | 1.52 |
| 3 | Maryland | $83,390 | $40.09 | 300 | 0.36 |
| 4 | Indiana | $81,260 | $39.07 | 1,720 | 1.80 |
| 5 | Delaware | $80,410 | $38.66 | — | — |
| 6 | New York | $80,000 | $38.46 | 6,980 | 2.41 |
| 7 | Virginia | $79,900 | $38.41 | 900 | 0.73 |
| 8 | Illinois | $79,820 | $38.38 | 2,790 | 1.53 |
| 9 | Florida | $79,600 | $38.27 | 760 | 0.26 |
| 10 | Washington | $79,040 | $38.00 | 810 | 0.76 |
| 11 | Michigan | $78,960 | $37.96 | 760 | 0.58 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $78,930 | $37.95 | 830 | 0.94 |
| 13 | Arizona | $78,080 | $37.54 | 460 | 0.47 |
| 14 | Mississippi | $78,010 | $37.50 | 440 | 1.27 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $77,890 | $37.45 | 400 | 1.54 |
| 16 | Colorado | $77,550 | $37.28 | 490 | 0.57 |
| 17 | Georgia | $75,810 | $36.45 | 1,740 | 1.19 |
| 18 | South Carolina | $73,660 | $35.42 | 420 | 0.60 |
| 19 | Tennessee | $71,740 | $34.49 | 790 | 0.81 |
| 20 | California | $69,950 | $33.63 | 1,500 | 0.27 |
| 21 | Texas | $68,980 | $33.16 | 4,640 | 1.10 |
| 22 | Kansas | $68,730 | $33.05 | 1,200 | 2.79 |
| 23 | Oregon | $68,580 | $32.97 | 390 | 0.67 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $68,430 | $32.90 | — | — |
| 25 | Missouri | $68,030 | $32.71 | 970 | 1.10 |
| 26 | Arkansas | $67,710 | $32.56 | 390 | 0.99 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $62,730 | $30.16 | 90 | 0.67 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $62,170 | $29.89 | 390 | 0.67 |
| 29 | Ohio | $61,390 | $29.52 | 1,480 | 0.89 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $59,690 | $28.70 | 630 | 0.72 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $58,930 | $28.33 | — | — |
| 32 | West Virginia | $55,180 | $26.53 | 320 | 1.54 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $52,380 | $25.18 | 110 | 0.18 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do railroad conductors and yardmasters make?
The median annual wage for railroad conductors and yardmasters in the United States is $78,000, or $37.50 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $58,740, and the top 10% earn $109,770.
How many railroad conductors and yardmasters are employed in the U.S.?
About 46,440 people work as railroad conductors and yardmasters nationwide.
Which state pays railroad conductors and yardmasters the most?
Oklahoma pays the most at a median of $102,260, followed by Pennsylvania ($83,610) and Maryland ($83,390).
Which state pays railroad conductors and yardmasters the least?
Kentucky has the lowest median at $52,380.
Where are railroad conductors and yardmasters jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Kansas at 2.79×.