Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters earn an average annual salary of $75,840, making it one of the higher-paying occupations. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Cross-industry, Private Ownership only. The field combines competitive compensation with strong employment opportunities, making it an attractive career path.
Key Statistics
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters workforce.
Employment Over Time
1,390 Workforce in 2023
The Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$75,840 Average Wage
In 2023, Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters earned an average of $75,840.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
Salary distribution for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
Employment Growth Projections
-2.2% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
2,543 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -10.4%
2,278 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -19.8%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
Wage Trends by Industry
1.3% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Total, All Industry: -9.0% growth (Current: $75,840)
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 30 employees, $68,117 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 30 employees, $68,117 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
Diversity
Demographic information on Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters in 2023 was 1,390 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters in 2023 were Business, Social Sciences, General Studies.
Common majors for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters workers.
Education level distribution for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
Skills
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters need many skills, but most especially Monitoring, Coordination, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Time Management.
Required skills for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters include Public Safety and Security, Transportation, English Language, Education and Training, Law and Government.
Knowledge areas required for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters include Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension, Problem Sensitivity, Speech Clarity, Speech Recognition.
Required abilities for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
Daily Activities
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters spend their time on activities such as Getting Information, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Performing General Physical Activities.
Most important work activities for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters.
About
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
The average yearly wage for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters was $75,840 in 2023.
SOC Code
53-4031 - Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters reports an average salary of $75,840.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 1,390 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -2.2%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.