Locomotive Engineers vs Railroad Conductors
Median pay is about $3k higher for Locomotive Engineers. Both usually start with the same education: high school.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Locomotive Engineers | Railroad Conductors |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $81,410, higher | $78,000 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $75,190, higher | $65,610 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $93,260, higher | $83,820 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +0.5% Stable | +0.9% Stable, higher |
| Openings a year | 2,000 | 3,000 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | High school | High school |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.6 / 5 | 2.6 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Moderate | High |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 31st pct | 59th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Locomotive Engineers
- Active Learning
Only Railroad Conductors
- Writing
Both lean on active listening, speaking, critical thinking, monitoring, reading comprehension.
More comparisons
Compare Locomotive Engineers with
Compare Railroad Conductors with
Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.