How To Become A Locomotive Operator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a locomotive operator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

The average locomotive operator salary is $51,047. The most common degree is a high school diploma degree with an business major. It usually takes 1-2 years of experience to become a locomotive operator. Locomotive operators with a OSHA Safety Certificate certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 3,100 job opportunities across the U.S.

ScoreLocomotive OperatorUS Average

Salary

4.0

Avg. Salary $51,047

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

9.0

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

1.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.39%

Asian 1.92%

Black or African American 13.47%

Hispanic or Latino 10.56%

Unknown 4.63%

White 69.02%

Gender

female 10.38%

male 89.62%

Age - 47.5

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 - 47.5

Stress level

9.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

2.6

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a locomotive operator

Explore locomotive operator education requirements

Most common locomotive operator degrees

High School Diploma

41.9 %

Bachelor's

26.7 %

Associate

16.2 %

Start to develop specific locomotive operator skills

Skills	Percentages
Locomotives	17.84%
Switches	17.13%
Safety Inspections	13.48%
Air Brakes	12.08%
FRA	7.22%

Complete relevant locomotive operator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New locomotive operators 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 locomotive operator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real locomotive operator resumes.

Research locomotive operator duties and responsibilities

Assist in Geo-fencing GPS mapping project to enable more accurate tracking of locomotives in order to improve operational efficiency
Maintain consistent understanding of industry rules and regulations regarding compliance and safety of both the carrier and FRA.
Operate and perform basic maintenance on locomotives.
Confer with conductors and other workers via radio-telephones or computers to exchange switching information.

Prepare your locomotive operator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your locomotive operator 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 locomotive operator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable locomotive operator resume templates

Build a professional locomotive operator 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 locomotive operator resume.