Freight Train Conductor Salary
$58K - $60K
6% of jobs
$60K - $62K
8% of jobs
$64K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$62K - $64K
11% of jobs
$64K - $66K
8% of jobs
$66K - $68K
11% of jobs
The median wage is $69.5K / yr.
$68K - $70K
8% of jobs
$70K - $72K
11% of jobs
$72K - $74K
8% of jobs
$74.8K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$74K - $76K
11% of jobs
$76K - $78K
8% of jobs
$78K - $80K
11% of jobs
$58K
$68.5K
$77.5K
$68,580
/year
$32.97
/hour
Freight Train Conductor Salary Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$68,580
Columbus
Ohio
$66,241
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How much does a Freight Train Conductor make?
As of Aug 8, 2026, the average annual pay for a Freight Train Conductor in the United States is $68,580 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $32.97 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,318/week or $5,715/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $77,500 and as low as $58,000, the majority of Freight Train Conductor salaries currently range between $63,500 (25th percentile) to $73,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $76,500 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Freight Train Conductor varies little (about 10000), which suggests that regardless of location, there are not many opportunities for increased pay or advancement, even with several years of experience.
A Freight Train Conductor in your area makes on average $66,241 per year, or $2,339 (3.411%) less than the national average annual salary of $68,580. Ohio ranks number 30 out of 50 states nationwide for Freight Train Conductor salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Freight Train Conductor jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
Find your next high paying job as a Freight Train Conductor on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Freight Train Conductor Jobs
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Freight Train Conductor job is above the national average. Topping the list is Nome, AK, , with Berkeley, CA, and Sitka, AK, close behind in the second and third positions. Sitka, AK, beats the national average by $14,036 (20.5%), and Nome, AK, furthers that trend with another $16,493 (24.0%) above the $68,580 average.
With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Freight Train Conductor appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 7% between Nome, AK, and Arlington, VA, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a Freight Train Conductor role.
City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Nome, AK | $85,073 | $40.90 |
Berkeley, CA | $83,972 | $40.37 |
Sitka, AK | $82,616 | $39.72 |
San Francisco, CA | $80,799 | $38.85 |
Sunnyvale, CA | $80,489 | $38.70 |
Livermore, CA | $80,443 | $38.67 |
San Jose, CA | $80,302 | $38.61 |
Santa Clara, CA | $79,917 | $38.42 |
Daly City, CA | $79,463 | $38.20 |
Arlington, VA | $79,023 | $37.99 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Freight Train Conductor Jobs in the U.S.
Analyzing some similar jobs related to the Freight Train Conductor job category, we found that Train Conductor Engineer jobs have average salaries greater than Freight Train Conductor jobs.
Significantly, Train Conductor Engineer jobs pay $21,958 (32.0%) more than the average Freight Train Conductor salary of $68,580. If you're qualified, finding work as a Train Conductor Engineer may help you make more money than that of the average Freight Train Conductor position.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Train Conductor Engineer | $90,538 | $43.53 |
Locomotive | $61,577 | $29.60 |
Locomotive Engineer | $55,402 | $26.64 |
Lirr Conductor | $53,785 | $25.86 |
Symphony Conductor | $36,516 | $17.56 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
