Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$60,680
- 25th Percentile — Junior$75,190
- 50th Percentile — Median$81,410
- 75th Percentile — Senior$93,260
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$109,220
The top 10% of Locomotive Engineers earn $109,220 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $60,680, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii (est.) | $133,145 | +55.0% |
| District of Columbia (est.) | $130,568 | +52.0% |
| Mississippi | $125,980 | +46.7% |
| Massachusetts | $118,340 | +37.8% |
| Alaska (est.) | $113,388 | +32.0% |
| Connecticut (est.) | $104,798 | +22.0% |
| Illinois | $102,480 | +19.3% |
| Maryland (est.) | $98,785 | +15.0% |
| Rhode Island (est.) | $98,785 | +15.0% |
| New York | $98,720 | +14.9% |
| Montana | $95,640 | +11.3% |
| Florida | $93,850 | +9.3% |
| Oklahoma | $93,560 | +8.9% |
| Colorado | $92,960 | +8.2% |
| Vermont (est.) | $92,772 | +8.0% |
| Arizona | $91,490 | +6.5% |
| Indiana | $90,740 | +5.6% |
| Delaware (est.) | $90,195 | +5.0% |
| Minnesota | $88,730 | +3.3% |
| New Jersey | $88,640 | +3.2% |
| Maine (est.) | $87,618 | +2.0% |
| Nevada (est.) | $87,618 | +2.0% |
| New Mexico | $86,590 | +0.8% |
| Iowa | $86,180 | +0.3% |
| Utah (est.) | $85,900 | +0.0% |
| Tennessee | $85,470 | -0.5% |
| Virginia | $85,310 | -0.7% |
| Wyoming | $84,680 | -1.4% |
| Kentucky | $83,310 | -3.0% |
| South Carolina | $83,100 | -3.3% |
| Georgia (est.) | $79,887 | -7.0% |
| Idaho (est.) | $79,887 | -7.0% |
| Pennsylvania | $79,680 | -7.2% |
| North Dakota (est.) | $79,028 | -8.0% |
| Missouri | $78,270 | -8.9% |
| Michigan (est.) | $77,310 | -10.0% |
| Wisconsin | $77,030 | -10.3% |
| Oregon | $76,640 | -10.8% |
| Washington | $76,070 | -11.4% |
| Arkansas | $75,780 | -11.8% |
| California | $75,600 | -12.0% |
| Nebraska (est.) | $75,592 | -12.0% |
| Texas | $73,530 | -14.4% |
| Kansas | $72,180 | -16.0% |
| Alabama | $70,290 | -18.2% |
| South Dakota | $70,010 | -18.5% |
| West Virginia | $67,970 | -20.9% |
| New Hampshire | $66,920 | -22.1% |
| Ohio | $66,350 | -22.8% |
| Louisiana | $64,920 | -24.4% |
| North Carolina | $61,880 | -28.0% |
What Factors Affect Locomotive Engineers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Locomotive Engineers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Mississippi pays an average of $125,980, while North Carolina pays $61,880 — a gap of $64,100 per year.
The middle half of Locomotive Engineers earn between $75,190 and $93,260 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $60,680, while the top 10% earn more than $109,220.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Locomotive Engineers?
The average salary for Locomotive Engineers in the United States is $85,900 per year, with a median of $81,410.
What is the starting salary for Locomotive Engineers?
Entry-level Locomotive Engineers typically earn between $60,680 and $75,190 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Locomotive Engineers the most?
Mississippi pays Locomotive Engineers the most at $125,980 per year on average, followed by Massachusetts ($118,340) and Illinois ($102,480).
How much do Locomotive Engineers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $85,900, Locomotive Engineers earn approximately $41.3 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Locomotive Engineers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 33,470 Locomotive Engineers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $85,900 and a median of $81,410 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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