How much do train conductors make?

Train Conductor salary 2026 · BLS occupation: Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters (SOC 53-4031) · Updated October 28, 2026

Answer

Train conductors in the US earned a median of $78,000 a year ($37.50 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned $65,610 to $83,820.

Median annual pay: $78,000; Mean $79,100
Median hourly pay: $37.50; Mean $38.03
Typical range (10th–90th): $58.7K–$110K; $58,740 to $109,770
US jobs: 46,440; +0.9% projected, 2025–35

BLS OEWS, May 2025, released April 30, 2026. Wages include tips, commissions and production bonuses but not overtime premiums, shift differentials, other bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers are not included. Methodology

How to become a train conductor: steps, years and cost · Best-paying state after cost of living: Oklahoma

Train Conductor pay range

Annual wages, May 2025

10th percentile$58,740
25th percentile$65,610
Median$78,000
75th percentile$83,820
90th percentile$109,770

Half of all train conductors earned more than $78,000 and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% made under $58,740; the top 10% made over $109,770. The middle 50%, from the 25th to the 75th percentile, ran from $65,610 to $83,820.

These percentiles describe everyone in the occupation at one time. They are not pay steps by years of experience: they mix new and senior workers, different states, employers and hours. Pay generally rises with experience, credentials and specialization, but BLS does not publish pay by experience.

Percentile	Annual	Hourly	Monthly
10th	$58,740	$28.24	$4,895
25th	$65,610	$31.54	$5,468
Median (50th)	$78,000	$37.50	$6,500
75th	$83,820	$40.30	$6,985
90th	$109,770	$52.78	$9,148
Mean (average)	$79,100	$38.03	$6,592

Train Conductor salary by state

Median annual pay; cost of living from BEA regional price parities 2024

Median annual pay for train conductors by state. Darker tiles pay more. A dash means BLS did not publish a figure.

Highest-paying states

1. Oklahoma $102,260
2. Pennsylvania $83,610
3. Maryland $83,390
4. Indiana $81,260
5. Delaware $80,410

Lowest-paying states

33. Kentucky $52,380
32. West Virginia $55,180
31. North Carolina $58,930
30. Wisconsin $59,690
29. Ohio $61,390

Best after cost of living: Oklahoma. Its median of $102,260 is worth about $116,412 at national-average prices.


Alabama	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Alaska	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Arizona	$78,080	13	$77,555	16	$37.54	460	0.14
Arkansas	$67,710	26	$77,884	15	$32.56	390	0.30
California	$69,950	20	$63,177	30	$33.63	1,500	0.08
Colorado	$77,550	16	$75,253	19	$37.28	490	0.17
Connecticut	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Delaware	$80,410	5	$80,565	7	$38.66	—	—
District of Columbia	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Florida	$79,600	9	$76,972	17	$38.27	760	0.08
Georgia	$75,810	17	$78,728	12	$36.45	1,740	0.35
Hawaii	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Idaho	—	—	—	—	—	270	0.31
Illinois	$79,820	8	$79,854	9	$38.38	2,790	0.46
Indiana	$81,260	4	$87,068	3	$39.07	1,720	0.54
Iowa	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Kansas	$68,730	22	$76,309	18	$33.05	1,200	0.83
Kentucky	$52,380	33	$58,097	33	$25.18	110	0.06
Louisiana	$62,170	28	$70,482	26	$29.89	390	0.20
Maine	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Maryland	$83,390	3	$79,450	10	$40.09	300	0.11
Massachusetts	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Michigan	$78,960	11	$82,065	6	$37.96	760	0.17
Minnesota	$78,930	12	$80,034	8	$37.95	830	0.28
Mississippi	$78,010	14	$89,715	2	$37.50	440	0.38
Missouri	$68,030	25	$74,909	20	$32.71	970	0.33
Montana	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Nebraska	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Nevada	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
New Hampshire	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
New Jersey	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
New Mexico	$77,890	15	$84,468	5	$37.45	400	0.46
New York	$80,000	6	$74,128	21	$38.46	6,980	0.72
North Carolina	$58,930	31	$62,475	31	$28.33	—	—
North Dakota	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Ohio	$61,390	29	$66,172	28	$29.52	1,480	0.27
Oklahoma	$102,260	1	$116,412	1	$49.16	310	0.18
Oregon	$68,580	23	$66,350	27	$32.97	390	0.20
Pennsylvania	$83,610	2	$85,691	4	$40.20	2,750	0.45
Rhode Island	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
South Carolina	$73,660	18	$78,572	13	$35.42	420	0.18
South Dakota	$62,730	27	$70,813	25	$30.16	90	0.20
Tennessee	$71,740	19	$78,089	14	$34.49	790	0.24
Texas	$68,980	21	$71,072	24	$33.16	4,640	0.33
Utah	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Vermont	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Virginia	$79,900	7	$79,028	11	$38.41	900	0.22
Washington	$79,040	10	$73,860	22	$38.00	810	0.23
West Virginia	$55,180	32	$61,656	32	$26.53	320	0.46
Wisconsin	$59,690	30	$63,436	29	$28.70	630	0.22
Wyoming	$68,430	24	$73,826	23	$32.90	—	—

BLS OEWS, May 2025, state estimates. Adjusted pay = median ÷ (state price level ÷ 100), using BEA regional price parities for 2024; it ignores taxes. Figures for states with few workers in the occupation have larger survey errors and can change sharply from one year to the next. “—” means BLS did not publish the figure (18 states). State names link to each state’s highest-paying jobs.

Best-paying metro areas for train conductors

7 metro areas with published pay

Highest median pay
Metro area	Median	Adjusted	Jobs
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$96,120	$92,784	80
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$92,400	$83,144	50
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$80,000	$71,071	3,800
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$59,790	$56,522	70
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$46,440	$47,086	190
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$45,600	$44,233	70
Savannah, GA	$38,020	$39,934	90

Most jobs
Metro area	Jobs	Median	Adjusted
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	3,800	$80,000	$71,071
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	190	$46,440	$47,086
Savannah, GA	90	$38,020	$39,934
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	80	$96,120	$92,784
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	70	$45,600	$44,233
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	70	$59,790	$56,522
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	50	$92,400	$83,144

BLS OEWS, May 2025, metropolitan statistical areas; adjusted with BEA metro price parities (2024).

What moves train conductor pay: employers and settings

Railroads pay most of this workforce. Rail transportation, which employs nearly nine in ten conductors and yardmasters, pays a median of $77,890. Local government transit agencies, which run commuter rail, pay $80,000; the small state government group earns $98,790. Contractors that support rail operations pay far less at $47,700; tourist and scenic railroads (scenic and sightseeing transportation) $48,710.

Private employers pay a median of $77,160 overall. At Union Pacific, for example, pay is set by a collective bargaining agreement and there are no guaranteed hours, so earnings depend on the assignment and how much a conductor works, including time on the extra board, where crews are called only when needed. Seniority usually decides who gets the most desired assignments.

By state, Oklahoma has the highest median at $102,260, and it is also first after living costs at $116,412. Next come Pennsylvania at $83,610, Maryland at $83,390, Indiana at $81,260, and Delaware at $80,410. The lowest are North Carolina at $58,930, West Virginia at $55,180, and Kentucky at $52,380.

The overall spread is fairly narrow, from the 10th percentile, $58,740, to the 90th, $109,770, around a median of $78,000.

Where train conductors work
Industry	Share of jobs	Median pay
Rail Transportation	87.8%	$77,890
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals	8.2%	$80,000
Support Activities for Rail Transportation	2.1%	$47,700
Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land	0.5%	$48,710
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals	0.5%	$98,790

Private employers and government
Employer type	Jobs	Median pay
Private employers	42,420	$77,160
State government (incl. schools and hospitals)	230	$98,790
Local government (incl. schools and hospitals)	3,790	$80,000

BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry-specific and ownership estimates (4-digit NAICS).

Train Conductor pay over time

Median annual pay, 2015–2025

$78.0K $55.9K

2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Nominal median (dollars of each year)In May 2025 dollars (adjusted with CPI-U)

The median rose from $55,930 in 2015 to $78,000 in 2025, up 39% in nominal dollars. After inflation, the 2015 median is worth $75,606 in May 2025 dollars, so real pay grew 3% over the period.

BLS OEWS, May 2025 and earlier May releases; inflation from the CPI-U, US city average, May of each year.

What train conductors do

A train conductor is in charge of the train and its crew. The engineer runs the locomotive; the conductor makes sure the train is put together correctly, follows its orders and gets where it is going safely. On a freight railroad, that means checking the paperwork that lists every car and its cargo, confirming hazardous materials are placed correctly, throwing switches, coupling and uncoupling cars, and talking by radio with the engineer and the dispatcher. On Amtrak and commuter lines, conductors also collect and check tickets, make announcements and handle passengers and emergencies.

The official occupation, railroad conductors and yardmasters, also covers yardmasters, who run the switching yards where trains are broken up and rebuilt. Nearly nine in ten work for railroads, and most of the rest work for local government transit agencies running commuter trains. The job is outdoors in all weather, often on foot along the tracks, and freight crews work around the clock with nights, weekends, holidays and stretches away from home.

A typical day

Report for duty, often on a few hours' notice, and review the train's orders and car list
Hold a job briefing with the engineer on the route, speed restrictions and work planned
Inspect the train and make sure cars, including hazardous materials, are in the right places
Climb on and off cars to line switches, couple cars and set or release hand brakes
Talk with the dispatcher and engineer by radio about signals, stops and track problems
Set out or pick up cars at customers and yards along the route
Check tickets and assist riders on passenger trains, and file reports at the end of the trip

Also called: railroad conductor, conductor, freight conductor, freight train conductor, local freight conductor, railway yardmaster, thru freight conductor, train master.

How to become a train conductor

Full guide

To become a train conductor, you get hired by a railroad or transit agency with a high school diploma, complete its paid training program, typically a few months and up to a year of on-the-job training, and pass the federally required conductor certification tests, vision and hearing exams and a background check.

Typical time: 6 to 12 months; Fastest: about 3 to 4 months
Minimum education: High school diploma or equivalent
License: Federal certification required for conductors on national, regional and commuter railroads (issued by the employing railroad under FRA rules); no state license
Typical training cost: No tuition; See the guide for what it includes

Read the step-by-step guide to becoming a train conductor: each step with its time and cost, education options, exams, licensing and advancement.

Is it worth it? Training cost against pay

Compare careers

Training time: 6 to 12 months; Typical path in our guide
Training cost: No tuition; Tuition and exam fees, before aid
Median pay: $78,000; $27,020 above the all-jobs median ($50,980)
Cost vs. one year's pay: 0–0%; Training cost as a share of a year at the median

The typical path into this job has no tuition cost (training is employer-provided or paid), so there is nothing to repay. This is a rough guide: it ignores taxes, financial aid, interest, earnings given up while training and how pay changes over a career. How we calculate ROI.

Job outlook for train conductors

BLS Employment Projections 2025–35

Projected growth: +0.9%; All occupations +3.5%
Jobs in 2025: 38,900; 39,200 projected for 2035
Openings each year: 3,000; New jobs plus replacements
Self-employed: —; Not in the pay figures above

BLS projects little change in this field: railroad conductor and yardmaster jobs edge up 0.9% from 2025 to 2035, from 38,900 to 39,200, compared with 3.5% for all occupations. About 3,000 openings a year are still expected, almost all from conductors who retire or leave for other work.

BLS points to two forces. Growth in intermodal freight, where containers move between ships, trains and trucks, may support demand for rail crews. Railroads' push to run more efficiently, including with automated systems, is likely to hold employment down.

Related careers and their pay

Air Traffic Controller$148,080
Bus Driver$59,050
Truck Driver$58,640
Locomotive Engineers$81,410
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers$68,840

Related occupations from O*NET 31.0; median annual pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Train Conductor salary FAQ

How much do train conductors make an hour?

The median hourly wage for train conductors was $37.50 in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $28.24 an hour and the highest-paid 10% more than $52.78. Hourly figures are BLS estimates for all workers in the occupation, full-time and part-time.

Which state pays train conductors the most?

Oklahoma has the highest median pay for train conductors, $102,260 a year, followed by Pennsylvania ($83,610) and Maryland ($83,390). After adjusting for each state's price level, Oklahoma comes out ahead at about $116,412 in national-average dollars.

Do train conductors make six figures?

Some do: based on the BLS percentiles, between 10% and 25% of train conductors earn more than $100,000 a year. The median is $78,000, and the top 10% earn more than $109,770. Pay generally rises with experience, specialization and location.

What is the difference between a train conductor and a train engineer?

The engineer operates the locomotive: throttle, brakes and speed. The conductor is responsible for the train as a whole, including its paperwork, cargo, switching moves and crew, and on passenger trains, the riders. Both are federally certified, conductors under 49 CFR Part 242 and engineers under a separate rule. Some conductors later train for the engineer job, which requires its own certification.

Do train conductors get to choose their schedule?

Mostly not at first. BLS notes that seniority usually decides who works the most desired shifts, and conductors on the extra board fill in for absent or added crews whenever they are called, at any hour. As seniority builds, conductors can bid on regular assignments. Short-route passenger runs tend to be steadier than freight work. Union Pacific states that train crew schedules vary by location and there are no guaranteed hours.

Is a train conductor the same as an orchestra conductor?

No, and this page covers only the railroad job. A train conductor supervises a freight or passenger train and its crew and needs a high school diploma, railroad training and federal certification. An orchestra or choir conductor is a musician who leads performers, usually after years of music study, and falls under a different BLS occupation, music directors and composers.

Sources

Data updated October 28, 2026 · Text checked against its sources October 28, 2026

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released April 30, 2026, SOC 53-4031
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035, released September 2026
O*NET 31.0 Database (53-4031.00), U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0; tasks rewritten by Careers and Salaries
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state and metro area, 2024
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, May values
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study and institution data, most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15
Railroad Workers: Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
49 CFR Part 242: Qualification and Certification of Conductors, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives) · checked October 28, 2026
49 CFR 242.117: Vision and hearing acuity, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives) · checked October 28, 2026
49 CFR 242.201: Time limitations for certification, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives) · checked October 28, 2026
Train Crew FAQs, Union Pacific · checked October 28, 2026
Conductor Jobs, Amtrak · checked October 28, 2026
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters (53-4031.00), O*NET OnLine · checked October 28, 2026
License Finder, CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) · checked October 28, 2026

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