How much does a railroad conductor make?
Typical yearly pay for railroad conductors and yardmasters in the United States.
median pay per year, about $6,500 a month or $37.50 an hour.
That's more than 66% of the 100 jobs in our salary guide, ranking #35 of 100.
Think you know what other jobs pay?
Paycheck is a free daily game: guess the pay for five jobs, see how close you got, and share your score.
Play today's PaycheckWhere it ranks
| Accountant | $83,680 |
| Train engineer | $81,410 |
| Aircraft mechanic | $79,870 |
| Railroad conductor | $78,000 |
| Zoologist | $76,780 |
| Police patrol officer | $76,210 |
| Game warden | $74,060 |
Similar jobs
- Train engineer$81,410
- Flight attendant$63,580
- Ship captain or pilot$92,460
- Long-haul truck driver$58,640
- School bus driver$47,920
- Air traffic controller$148,080
How much does a railroad conductor make per hour?
About $37.50 an hour, if you spread the median yearly pay over a standard 40-hour week, 52 weeks a year. Actual hourly pay varies with overtime, shift work and location.
Becoming a railroad conductor
The U.S. Department of Labor's career profile covers the training, licenses and day-to-day tasks for this job.
How to become a railroad conductor
About this number
This is the national median wage for the occupation “Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters” (code 53-4031.00) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025 release, as published on O*NET OnLine. The median is the middle value: half of workers earn more, half earn less.