Average Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters is $74,080 per year. The middle 50% earn between $63,480 and $82,060, with 42,710 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2024 estimates . Data covers 37 states and 5 metro areas.
Wage range
Pay distribution
Here is how Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $53,490
- 25th
- $63,480
- Median
- $74,080
- 75th
- $82,060
- 90th
- $103,350
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Pay is well above the national median for all US workers. This is an upper-income occupation.
The spread between entry-level and top-end pay is typical for US occupations. Experience and specialization matter, but the range is not unusually wide.
BLS projections
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for railroad conductors and yardmasters from 2024 to 2034. Growth is below the US average of roughly 4% across all occupations. The field is relatively stable but not expanding quickly.
- Projected growth
- +1.1%
- 400 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 3,100
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave.
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
A high-school diploma is typically sufficient for entry, with much of the training happening on the job.
Where Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters earn the most
Location matters for pay. The top-paying state is noticeably above the national median, so relocating to a higher-paying market can meaningfully boost earnings. Right now, the top-paying state is Indiana at $82,460, about 11.3% above the national median. At the metro level, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN leads with a median of $85,560.
By state
Top-paying states
By metro
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $85,560 | 110 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $83,200 | 80 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $78,050 | 3,860 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $58,280 | 50 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $46,380 | N/A |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see railroad conductors and yardmasters pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2024, the national median salary for Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters rose from $65,990 to $74,080, a gain of +12.3% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +22.7%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $65,990 would need to be worth $80,969 in 2024 dollars.
The actual 2024 median of $74,080 is −$6,889 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -8.5% in purchasing power.
Adjusted for inflation, pay has lost ground. Nominal growth of 12.3% has not kept up with rising prices.
- Nominal change
- +12.3%
- 2019–2024
- Cumulative inflation
- +22.7%
- US CPI, 2019–2024
- Real change
- -8.5%
- After adjusting for inflation
Annual history
Median salary over time
Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2019
- $65,990
- 2020
- $64,030
- 2021
- $63,960
- 2022
- $68,180
- 2023
- $71,130
- 2024
- $74,080
Similar jobs
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Locomotive Engineers
- $77,400
- Subway And Streetcar Operators
- $84,830
- Wellhead Pumpers
- $70,010
- Flight Attendants
- $67,130
Common salary questions for Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.