Locomotive Engineers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for locomotive engineerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Mississippi$125,980
- Massachusetts$118,340
- Illinois$102,480
- New York$98,720
- Montana$95,640
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- North Carolina$61,880
- Louisiana$64,920
- Ohio$66,350
- New Hampshire$66,920
- West Virginia$67,970
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi | $125,980 | $96,710 | $61 | +46.7% | 300 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $118,340 | $108,790 | $57 | +37.8% | 640 |
| 3 | Illinois | $102,480 | $93,320 | $49 | +19.3% | 2,340 |
| 4 | New York | $98,720 | $109,220 | $47 | +14.9% | 1,510 |
| 5 | Montana | $95,640 | $90,220 | $46 | +11.3% | 470 |
| 6 | Florida | $93,850 | $92,310 | $45 | +9.3% | 350 |
| 7 | Oklahoma | $93,560 | $91,970 | $45 | +8.9% | 260 |
| 8 | Colorado | $92,960 | $89,360 | $45 | +8.2% | 480 |
| 9 | Arizona | $91,490 | $89,840 | $44 | +6.5% | 490 |
| 10 | Indiana | $90,740 | $92,790 | $44 | +5.6% | 1,030 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $88,730 | $93,700 | $43 | +3.3% | 990 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $88,640 | $86,550 | $43 | +3.2% | 830 |
| 13 | New Mexico | $86,590 | $88,330 | $42 | +0.8% | 440 |
| 14 | Iowa | $86,180 | $89,970 | $41 | +0.3% | 1,000 |
| 15 | Tennessee | $85,470 | $81,410 | $41 | -0.5% | 700 |
| 16 | Virginia | $85,310 | $90,780 | $41 | -0.7% | 790 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $84,680 | $78,910 | $41 | -1.4% | — |
| 18 | Kentucky | $83,310 | $77,620 | $40 | -3% | 540 |
| 19 | South Carolina | $83,100 | $89,290 | $40 | -3.3% | 380 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $79,680 | $82,460 | $38 | -7.2% | 1,430 |
| 21 | Missouri | $78,270 | $78,820 | $38 | -8.9% | 1,110 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $77,030 | $84,550 | $37 | -10.3% | 220 |
| 23 | Oregon | $76,640 | $79,130 | $37 | -10.8% | 580 |
| 24 | Washington | $76,070 | $73,750 | $37 | -11.4% | 1,120 |
| 25 | Arkansas | $75,780 | $78,930 | $36 | -11.8% | 620 |
| 26 | California | $75,600 | $77,070 | $36 | -12% | 1,570 |
| 27 | Texas | $73,530 | $79,000 | $35 | -14.4% | 3,780 |
| 28 | Kansas | $72,180 | $75,190 | $35 | -16% | 1,020 |
| 29 | Alabama | $70,290 | $77,600 | $34 | -18.2% | 590 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $70,010 | $69,180 | $34 | -18.5% | 150 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $67,970 | $64,400 | $33 | -20.9% | 340 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | $66,920 | $70,670 | $32 | -22.1% | 30 |
| 33 | Ohio | $66,350 | $63,280 | $32 | -22.8% | 200 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $64,920 | $64,200 | $31 | -24.4% | 700 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $61,880 | $61,190 | $30 | -28% | 340 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 4 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $87,510 | $63,270 | 30 |
| 2 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $65,340 | $61,580 | 250 |
| 3 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $63,700 | $98,260 | 40 |
| 4 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $57,140 | $57,440 | 100 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing locomotive engineerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $82,490 | $76,880 | 500 |
| 2 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $82,490 | $76,880 | 500 |
| 3 | Rail Transportation | $81,900 | $86,990 | 31,840 |
| 4 | Rail Transportation | $81,900 | $86,990 | 31,840 |
| 5 | Sectors 48 and 49 - Transportation and Warehousing | $81,640 | $86,410 | 32,600 |
| 6 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $81,410 | $85,900 | 33,470 |
| 7 | Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $81,410 | $86,070 | 32,900 |
| 8 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $70,600 | $76,040 | 570 |
| 9 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $70,600 | $76,040 | 570 |
| 10 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $70,600 | $76,040 | 570 |
| 11 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $69,280 | $69,430 | 60 |
| 12 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $69,280 | $69,430 | 60 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do locomotive engineers make in the U.S.?
The median locomotive engineers salary in the United States is $81,410 per year (mean $85,900), and about 80% earn between $60,680 and $109,220.
How much do locomotive engineers make per hour?
Roughly $41 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $85,900 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays locomotive engineers the most?
Mississippi has the highest average pay for locomotive engineers at $125,980 per year (median $96,710).
What is the job outlook for locomotive engineers?
Employment is projected to change +0.7% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 2,200 openings per year.