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The median salary for Locomotive Engineers in California is $77,085 per year ($37.06/hr). This is 5.3% lower than the national median of $81,411.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Wage Percentiles: California
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours) · National adjusted
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
vs National
P10Entry level
$25.13
$52,270
-13.8%
P25
$35.76
$74,381
-1.1%
P50MEDIAN
$37.06
$77,085
-5.3%
P75
$38.43
$79,934
-14.3%
P90Top earners
$38.43
$79,934
-26.8%
Get the full percentile report
P10–P90 breakdown, career outlook, industry wages, and JOLTS market signal for Locomotive Engineers
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Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+0.7%
Little or no change
Annual openings
2K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
27K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
1% from new growth99% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 2 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Rail Transportation
NAICS 482100
32K
$81,900
Support Activities for Rail Transportation
NAICS 488200
610
$55,640
Wage range across top 5 industries: $55,640 to $81,900 (47% spread)
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Full percentile breakdown · JOLTS market signals · Geographic comparison · AI analyst briefs
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median locomotive engineers salary in California?
The median (P50) annual salary for Locomotive Engineers in California is approximately $77,085, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. This is 5.3% lower than the national median of $81,411. For the full P10–P90 breakdown and market context, open CompSignal.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.