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What is a freight conductor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a freight conductor. For example, did you know that they make an average of $27.88 an hour? That's $57,998 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 3,100 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreFreight ConductorUS Average
Salary
4.5

Avg. Salary $57,998

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
8.5

Growth Rate 4%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.9
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.90%

Asian 2.02%

Black or African American 10.14%

Hispanic or Latino 11.00%

Unknown 4.81%

White 71.12%

Gender

female 3.33%

male 96.67%

Age - 46
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46
Stress Level
8.5

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
4.5

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
2.7

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

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Key steps to become a freight conductor

  1. Explore freight conductor education requirements

    Most common freight conductor degrees

    Bachelor's

    35.4 %

    High School Diploma

    26.9 %

    Associate

    25.3 %
  2. Start to develop specific freight conductor skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Switches15.34%
    FRA15.13%
    Rail Cars14.39%
    Federal Regulations8.09%
    Hand Signals6.93%
  3. Complete relevant freight conductor training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New freight conductors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a freight conductor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real freight conductor resumes.
  4. Research freight conductor duties and responsibilities

    • Provide excellent leadership by training new conductors in railroad rules and regulations, while simultaneously managing the train yard.
    • Instruct and assist train crews in coupling/uncoupling cars, operate switches, and implement minor repairs to rail cars.
    • Assist co-workers to couple and uncouple cars, throw track switches, or other activities involve in switching railroad cars.
    • Make sure train consist is correct within CSX system database.
  5. Prepare your freight conductor resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your freight conductor resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a freight conductor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Freight Conductor Resume templates

    Build a professional Freight Conductor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Freight Conductor resume.
    Freight Conductor Resume
    Freight Conductor Resume
    Freight Conductor Resume
    Freight Conductor Resume
    Freight Conductor Resume
    Freight Conductor Resume
    Freight Conductor Resume
    Freight Conductor Resume
    Freight Conductor Resume
  6. Apply for freight conductor jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a freight conductor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Freight Conductor Job

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Average freight conductor salary

The average Freight Conductor salary in the United States is $57,998 per year or $28 per hour. Freight conductor salaries range between $40,000 and $82,000 per year.

Average Freight Conductor Salary
$57,998 Yearly
$27.88 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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