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Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks

SOC 53-4031 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data

Median Annual Salary
$78,000
$37.50/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters salary in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

$Competitive · ~P50
P10$59K
P25$66K
P50$78K
P75$84K
P90$110K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
⚡
Demand: ACTIVE. Demand is active -- the broader market openings are at 4.4% (JOLTS, June 2026). A balanced market where the median is a solid, competitive anchor.
📈
Merit budget: Wages in private industry are rising about 3.1% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 2.7-3.2% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $78,000 to $83,824 (market median to the 75th percentile). The median-to-P75 range keeps offers competitive.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

Median pay for this role rose 5.3% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, outpacing the 3.1% wage growth of the broader market (BLS ECI).

Hiring demand · MODERATE

the broader market is running a 4.4% job-openings rate with quits at 2.0% (BLS JOLTS).

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 1.9 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is narrower than typical, so pay is fairly standardized; small differences move a candidate across the market.

What changed recently
  • Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: national job openings little changed at 7.4M (4.4% rate), hires flat at 5.3M, quits steady at 2.0%.
  • Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: national wages rose 3.2% over the year while CPI reached 3.5%, the first negative real-wage reading since 2022. Benefit costs accelerated to 3.8%.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters is $78,000 per year ($37.50/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $65,603 and $83,824 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $109,782 per year. There are approximately 46,440 railroad conductors and yardmasters employed in the United States.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

Coordinate activities of switch-engine crew within railroad yard, industrial plant, or similar location. Conductors coordinate activities of train crew on passenger or freight trains. Yardmasters review train schedules and switching orders and coordinate activities of workers engaged in railroad traffic operations, such as the makeup or breakup of trains and yard switching.

Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+1.1%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
3K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
37K
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
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training

Industry Wage Breakdown

Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
IndustryWorkforce Median Pay
Rail Transportation
NAICS 482100
41K$77,890
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999300
4K$80,000
Support Activities for Rail Transportation
NAICS 488200
990$47,700
Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land
NAICS 487100
250$48,710
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999200
230$98,790
Wage range across top 5 industries: $47,700 to $98,790 (107% spread)

Wage Percentiles

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
PercentileHourly RateAnnual Salary
P10$28.24$58,739
P25$31.54$65,603
P50MEDIAN$37.50$78,000
P75$40.30$83,824
P90$52.78$109,782

Market Context Signal

JOLTS · other sector
Active
Openings Rate
4.4%
Quits Rate
2.0%

The labor market stayed steady in June: job openings were little changed at 7.4M (rate 4.4%), hires held at 5.3M, and total separations changed little at 5.4M. Quits were 3.2M (rate 2.0%). Openings rose in transportation, warehousing & utilities (+97K) and fell in wholesale trade (-74K).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average railroad conductors and yardmasters salary?

The national median salary for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters is $78,000 per year ($37.50/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $65,603 and $83,824 annually.

How much do top-earning railroad conductors and yardmasters make?

The 90th percentile salary for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters is $109,782 per year ($52.78/hr). The 75th percentile is $83,824 per year.

What is the entry-level salary for railroad conductors and yardmasters?

Entry-level Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters (10th percentile) earn approximately $58,739 per year ($28.24/hr). The 25th percentile is $65,603 per year.

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Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters Salary by State

Top 5 states by employment
New York6,980 workersTexas4,640 workersIllinois2,790 workersPennsylvania2,750 workersGeorgia1,740 workers

About This Data

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.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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