As of May 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Railroad Engineer in the US is $79,884, equivalent to $38 per hour, $1,536 weekly, or $6,657 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Railroad Engineer in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Railroad Engineer in the US vary widely, spanning from $69,107 to $91,633. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($74,243) and 75th percentile ($86,034), while top earners (90th percentile) make $91,633 per year. This $11,791 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Commitment or Equipment Maintenance, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, District of Columbia Railroad Engineer often earn 10.7% above national averages due to demand from Fortune 44 companies and industry startups. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Railroad Engineer Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Railroad Engineer Salary $69,107 US May 01, 2026
25th Percentile Railroad Engineer Salary $74,243 US May 01, 2026
50th Percentile Railroad Engineer Salary $79,884 US May 01, 2026
75th Percentile Railroad Engineer Salary $86,034 US May 01, 2026
90th Percentile Railroad Engineer Salary $91,633 US May 01, 2026
25% $74,243 10% $69,107 90% $91,633 75% $86,034 $79,884 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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What is a Railroad Engineer ?

An engineer (American and Canadian), engine driver, loco pilot, motorman, train driver (British and Commonwealth English), is a person who operates a train. The driver is in charge of, and responsible for driving the engine, as well as the mechanical operation of the train, train speed, and all train handling. For many American railroads, the following career progression is typical: assistant conductor (brakeman), conductor and finally driver. In the US, drivers are required to be certified and re-certified every two to three years. In American English a hostler moves engines around train y...

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/17/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

See user submitted job responsibilities for Railroad Engineer.

Job Openings for Railroad Engineer

Career Path for this job

  1. This Job:

    Railroad Engineer

    0 - 2 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  2. Up a level:

    Civil Engineer II

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Railroad Engineer, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
74243
86034
79884

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
81760
101247
90696
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Railroad Engineer in the United States. The base salary for Railroad Engineer ranges from $74,243 to $86,034 with the average base salary of $79,884. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $81,760 to $101,247 with the average total cash compensation of $90,696.
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74243
86034

 

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