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Conductor salary
Average conductor salary
$58,690
Average Conductor Salary Overview
The average salary for a conductor is currently $58,690 per year or approximately $28 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on several factors, including geographical location, years of experience, and the specific sector within the rail industry. For instance, conductors in states like California and New York often earn higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals.
Salary Influencers
- Experience: Entry-level conductors may start at lower salaries, while seasoned professionals can earn considerably more.
- Location: Salaries differ by state, with urban areas generally offering better pay compared to rural settings.
- Industry: Conductors working in freight transportation may have different earning potentials than those in passenger services.
Understanding these salary dynamics can help job seekers set realistic salary expectations and identify opportunities for advancement in their careers. For the latest salary estimates and job postings, visit Zippia's comprehensive job board.
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Where can a Conductor earn more?
Conductor salary estimates from across the web
Average conductor salary by state
The highest-paying states for conductors are Oregon, Alaska, and Iowa. The lowest average conductor salary states are Ohio, North Carolina, and Georgia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for conductors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | $73,476 | $35.33 |
| 2 | Oregon | $77,889 | $37.45 |
| 3 | Wyoming | $67,547 | $32.47 |
| 4 | Utah | $72,459 | $34.84 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $72,712 | $34.96 |
| 6 | Nevada | $70,452 | $33.87 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $68,265 | $32.82 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $65,213 | $31.35 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $66,897 | $32.16 |
| 10 | Alaska | $75,694 | $36.39 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $67,410 | $32.41 |
| 12 | Missouri | $66,137 | $31.80 |
| 13 | Arizona | $65,592 | $31.53 |
| 14 | Arkansas | $63,203 | $30.39 |
| 15 | Michigan | $65,249 | $31.37 |
| 16 | California | $71,599 | $34.42 |
| 17 | Maryland | $67,032 | $32.23 |
| 18 | Texas | $64,062 | $30.80 |
| 19 | Vermont | $66,291 | $31.87 |
| 20 | Montana | $61,217 | $29.43 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $67,130 | $32.27 |
| 22 | Kansas | $60,907 | $29.28 |
| 23 | Maine | $60,822 | $29.24 |
| 24 | Illinois | $65,289 | $31.39 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $62,182 | $29.90 |
| 26 | Washington | $66,657 | $32.05 |
| 27 | Idaho | $63,163 | $30.37 |
| 28 | South Dakota | $59,889 | $28.79 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $62,833 | $30.21 |
| 30 | Delaware | $65,571 | $31.52 |
| 31 | Alabama | $58,413 | $28.08 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $61,308 | $29.48 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $58,125 | $27.94 |
| 34 | Massachusetts | $63,609 | $30.58 |
| 35 | District of Columbia | $64,458 | $30.99 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | $58,542 | $28.15 |
| 37 | Indiana | $56,220 | $27.03 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $55,748 | $26.80 |
| 39 | Florida | $59,721 | $28.71 |
| 40 | Ohio | $54,765 | $26.33 |
| 41 | New Jersey | $59,053 | $28.39 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $60,146 | $28.92 |
| 43 | Georgia | $54,485 | $26.19 |
| 44 | New York | $57,514 | $27.65 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $52,051 | $25.02 |
| 46 | Colorado | $51,741 | $24.88 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $55,139 | $26.51 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $55,449 | $26.66 |
| 49 | Virginia | $56,549 | $27.19 |
| 50 | North Carolina | $54,678 | $26.29 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $53,635 | $25.79 |
Highest paying cities for conductors
The highest-paying cities for conductors are Tigard, OR, Mason City, IA, and Grand Forks, ND.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tigard, OR | $77,719 | $37.36 |
| 2 | Mason City, IA | $73,958 | $35.56 |
| 3 | Grand Forks, ND | $73,061 | $35.13 |
| 4 | Palmdale, CA | $69,815 | $33.56 |
| 5 | Saint Paul, MN | $68,280 | $32.83 |
| 6 | Tacoma, WA | $67,405 | $32.41 |
| 7 | Kansas City, MO | $66,010 | $31.74 |
| 8 | El Paso, TX | $65,909 | $31.69 |
| 9 | Chandler, AZ | $65,606 | $31.54 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $65,386 | $31.44 |
| 11 | Detroit, MI | $65,245 | $31.37 |
| 12 | Lincoln, NE | $62,775 | $30.18 |
| 13 | Great Falls, MT | $61,232 | $29.44 |
| 14 | Kansas City, KS | $60,908 | $29.28 |
| 15 | Aberdeen, SD | $60,388 | $29.03 |
| 16 | Winter Park, FL | $59,814 | $28.76 |
| 17 | Jersey City, NJ | $59,265 | $28.49 |
| 18 | New York, NY | $57,552 | $27.67 |
| 19 | Fort Wayne, IN | $56,577 | $27.20 |
| 20 | Covington, KY | $55,767 | $26.81 |
Conductor salary details
A conductor's salary ranges from $41,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $83,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a conductor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $83,000 | $6,917 | $40 |
| 75th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
| Average | $58,690 | $4,891 | $28 |
| 25th Percentile | $48,000 | $4,000 | $23 |
| 10th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
Highest paying conductor jobs
The highest paying types of conductors are train conductor, conductor and engineer, and railroad conductor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switchman | $57,143 | $4,762 | $27.47 | 518 |
Top companies hiring conductors now:
Which companies pay conductors the most?
Conductor salaries at Barclays and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average conductor salary at companies like BNSF Railway and Genesee & Wyoming are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barclays | $93,914 | $45.15 |
| 2 | Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group | $77,724 | $37.37 |
| 3 | BNSF Railway | $75,945 | $36.51 |
| 4 | Genesee & Wyoming | $75,501 | $36.30 |
| 5 | Canadian Pacific Railway | $73,388 | $35.28 |
| 6 | Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra | $70,789 | $34.03 |
| 7 | Lowry Solutions | $68,463 | $32.91 |
| 8 | Kansas City Southern | $67,941 | $32.66 |
| 9 | Norfolk Southern | $67,709 | $32.55 |
| 10 | Northrop Grumman | $67,084 | $32.25 |
| 11 | OmniTRAX | $65,938 | $31.70 |
| 12 | Ryder System | $65,464 | $31.47 |
| 13 | Advance Auto Parts | $65,223 | $31.36 |
| 14 | Baltimore Symphony Orchestra | $64,184 | $30.86 |
| 15 | World Fuel Services | $60,283 | $28.98 |
| 16 | Herzog Contracting | $59,293 | $28.51 |
| 17 | Samsung Electronics Device Solutions (Semiconductor & Display) | $58,667 | $28.21 |
| 18 | Torc Robotics | $58,416 | $28.08 |
| 19 | Mstar | $56,320 | $27.08 |
| 20 | The People's Music School | $56,202 | $27.02 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Conductor salary trends
The average conductor salary has risen by $9,304 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average conductor earned $49,386 annually, but today, they earn $58,690 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for conductors over the last decade.
Compare conductor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average conductor salary over time
Compare conductor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Conductor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $58,700 | $28.22 | -3.1% |
| 2024 | $60,500 | $29.08 | +4.6% |
| 2023 | $57,700 | $27.73 | +4.2% |
| 2022 | $55,300 | $26.57 | +4.7% |
| 2021 | $52,700 | $25.33 | +2.7% |
Recently added conductor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Genesee & Wyoming Main | Conductor | Palmer Town, MA | 06/27/2025 | $58,186 |
| Transdevna | Incident Readiness Test Conductor | Phoenix, AZ | 06/27/2025 | $75,000 |
| Transdev | Incident Readiness Test Conductor | Phoenix, AZ | 06/26/2025 | $75,000 |
| Watco Companies, Inc. | Student Conductor | Plaquemine, LA | 06/25/2025 | $41,740 |
| Watco Companies, Inc. | Conductor | Nampa, ID | 06/25/2025 | $43,827 |
| Watco Companies, Inc. | Conductor | Wausau, WI | 06/25/2025 | $48,001 |
| Watco Companies, Inc. | Student Conductor-Deer | Deer Park, TX | 06/25/2025 | $37,566 |
| Florida East Coast Railway | Conductor | Jacksonville, FL | 06/21/2025 | $79,619 |
| Northrop Grumman | Test Conductor | Gilbert, AZ | 06/14/2025 | $70,700 |
| Watco Companies, Inc. | Conductor | Mitchell, SD | 06/07/2025 | $45,914 |
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