Locomotive Engineers

Median salary

$81,410

Average salary

$85,900

Employment

33,470

Projected growth

0.7% growth

Annual openings

2,200

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

What Locomotive Engineers Do

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.

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: Less than 5 years
On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed: Not available

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 2 of 5

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Experience: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
Education: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Job training: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

Transportationimportance 4.5/5
Public Safety and Securityimportance 3.6/5
English Languageimportance 3.3/5
Education and Trainingimportance 3.3/5
Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 3.0/5
Mechanicalimportance 3.0/5
Administration and Managementimportance 2.8/5
Law and Governmentimportance 2.4/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.9/5
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.8/5
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.8/5
Health and Safety of Other Workers4.8/5
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.8/5
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment4.7/5

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

Commercial Pilots96% skill match
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders96% skill match
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders95% skill match
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers95% skill match
Slaughterers and Meat Packers95% skill match
Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers94% skill match
Tire Builders93% skill match
Sewing Machine Operators93% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

Operation and Controlimportance 4.1/5
Operations Monitoringimportance 4.0/5
Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.4/5
Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.1/5
Time Managementimportance 3.1/5
Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
Quality Control Analysisimportance 2.9/5
Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.8/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

Other Software Used

Electronic train management systems ETMS
Route mapping software
Time tracking software

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Dependability
Cautiousness
Attention to Detail
Stress Tolerance
Integrity
Self-Control
Perseverance

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

RealisticHigh
ConventionalMedium
InvestigativeMedium
EnterprisingLow
SocialLow
ArtisticLow

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.