Careers / Locomotive Engineers
Locomotive Engineers — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$81,410
United States, 2025
Employment
33,470
United States, 2025
Typical education
Not recorded
Job Zone 2
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Drive electric, diesel-electric, steam, or gas-turbine-electric locomotives to transport passengers or freight. Interpret train orders, electronic or manual signals, and railroad rules and regulations.
- O*NET code
- 53-4011.00
- Job zone
- 2
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- Receive starting signals from conductors and use controls such as throttles or air brakes to drive electric, diesel-electric, steam, or gas turbine-electric locomotives.
- Monitor gauges or meters that measure speed, amperage, battery charge, or air pressure in brake lines or in main reservoirs.
- Interpret train orders, signals, or railroad rules and regulations that govern the operation of locomotives.
- Observe tracks to detect obstructions.
- Confer with conductors or traffic control center personnel via radiophones to issue or receive information concerning stops, delays, or oncoming trains.
- Inspect locomotives to verify adequate fuel, sand, water, or other supplies before each run or to check for mechanical problems.
- Operate locomotives to transport freight or passengers between stations or to assemble or disassemble trains within rail yards.
- Respond to emergency conditions or breakdowns, following applicable safety procedures and rules.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$60,680
25th percentile
$75,190
75th percentile
$93,260
90th percentile
$109,220
Most important skills
- Operation and Control4.3
- Operations Monitoring4.1
- Monitoring3.9
- Critical Thinking3.6
- Active Listening3.5
- Speaking3.4
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
- Active Learning3.0
- Coordination3.0
- Time Management3.0
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 12 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
12
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 4.3 | 4.3 | Not selected | 4.3 |
| Operations Monitoring | 4.1 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.9 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.5 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.6 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 | 3.4 | Not selected | 3.4 |
| Speaking | 3.4 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
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Compare with Locomotive EngineersSupplemental
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National median $58,870
Compare with Locomotive EngineersSupplemental
National median $78,620
Compare with Locomotive EngineersHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| NY | $109,220 | 1,510 | 2025 |
| MA | $108,790 | 640 | 2025 |
| MS | $96,710 | 300 | 2025 |
| MN | $93,700 | 990 | 2025 |
| IL | $93,320 | 2,340 | 2025 |
| IN | $92,790 | 1,030 | 2025 |
| FL | $92,310 | 350 | 2025 |
| OK | $91,970 | 260 | 2025 |
| VA | $90,780 | 790 | 2025 |
| MT | $90,220 | 470 | 2025 |
| IA | $89,970 | 1,000 | 2025 |
| AZ | $89,840 | 490 | 2025 |
| CO | $89,360 | 480 | 2025 |
| SC | $89,290 | 380 | 2025 |
| NM | $88,330 | 440 | 2025 |
| NJ | $86,550 | 830 | 2025 |
| WI | $84,550 | 220 | 2025 |
| PA | $82,460 | 1,430 | 2025 |
| TN | $81,410 | 700 | 2025 |
| OR | $79,130 | 580 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Locomotive Engineers to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.