Train conductor vs railroad conductor

The differences between train conductors and railroad conductors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a train conductor has an average salary of $58,474, which is higher than the $58,338 average annual salary of a railroad conductor.

The top three skills for a train conductor include switches, rail cars and FRA. The most important skills for a railroad conductor are switches, rail cars, and FRA.

Train conductor vs railroad conductor overview

	Train Conductor	Railroad Conductor
Yearly salary	$58,474	$58,338
Hourly rate	$28.11	$28.05
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	1,646	547
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	High School Diploma, 36%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	-	-

Train conductor vs railroad conductor salary

Train conductors and railroad conductors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Train Conductor	Railroad Conductor
Average salary	$58,474	$58,338
Salary range	Between $41,000 And $83,000	Between $40,000 And $83,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between train conductor and railroad conductor education

There are a few differences between a train conductor and a railroad conductor in terms of educational background:

	Train Conductor	Railroad Conductor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 35%	High School Diploma, 36%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Train conductor vs railroad conductor demographics

Here are the differences between train conductors' and railroad conductors' demographics:

	Train Conductor	Railroad Conductor
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4%	Male, 94.8% Female, 5.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 2.0% White, 71.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 2.0% White, 72.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between train conductor and railroad conductor duties and responsibilities

Train conductor example responsibilities.

Provide excellent leadership by training new conductors in railroad rules and regulations, while simultaneously managing the train yard.
Operate track switches, couple cars and work on freight trains in yard operations and on the road with heavy travel.
Conform to FRA rules during train movement and transportation.
Require attention to detail in train consist and hazmat placements.
Get all the paper work for the train including all hazmat waybills and emergency response.
Inspect all equipment on cars and build trains in accordance with FRA, rules and regulations, prior to departures.

Railroad conductor example responsibilities.

Travel from terminal to terminal by rail while strictly adhering to all FRA rules and regulations.
Inspect locomotives after runs to detect damage and defective equipment.
Project problem solving and analysis skills to maintain interaction with coworkers and supervisors.
Follow all GCOR and SOI rules with no injuries.
Project problem solving and analysis skills to maintain interaction with coworkers and supervisors.

Train conductor vs railroad conductor skills

Common train conductor skills

Switches, 18%
Rail Cars, 16%
FRA, 13%
Safety Procedures, 11%
Ladders, 10%
Locomotives, 6%

Common railroad conductor skills

Switches, 16%
Rail Cars, 13%
FRA, 13%
Air Brakes, 9%
Locomotives, 7%
Hand Signals, 5%

Train Conductor vs. similar jobs

Train Conductor related careers

Train Conductor related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Transportation Industry
Train Conductor
Train Conductor vs Railroad Conductor

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse transportation jobs