The average salary for a locomotive engineer in California is around $77,070 per year.
Avg Salary
Locomotive engineers earn an average yearly salary of $77,070.
Wages typically start from $52,260 and go up to $79,940.
7% below national average Updated in 2025
Locomotive engineer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level locomotive engineer earnings begin at:
$38.43 per hour
$79,940 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level locomotive engineer earnings begin at:
$38.43 per hour
$79,940 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level locomotive engineer earnings begin at:
$37.06 per hour
$77,070 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level locomotive engineer earnings begin at:
$35.76 per hour
$74,370 per year
10th percentile
Starting level locomotive engineer earnings begin at:
$25.13 per hour
$52,260 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Locomotive engineer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Mississippi | $96,710 |
| Minnesota | $93,700 |
| Illinois | $93,320 |
| Indiana | $92,790 |
| Florida | $92,310 |
| Oklahoma | $91,970 |
| Virginia | $90,780 |
| Montana | $90,220 |
| Iowa | $89,970 |
| Arizona | $89,840 |
| Colorado | $89,360 |
| South Carolina | $89,290 |
| New Mexico | $88,330 |
| New Jersey | $86,550 |
| Delaware | $84,870 |
| Wisconsin | $84,550 |
| Pennsylvania | $82,460 |
| Nebraska | $81,860 |
| Tennessee | $81,410 |
| Idaho | $79,600 |
| Oregon | $79,130 |
| Georgia | $79,070 |
| Texas | $79,000 |
| Arkansas | $78,930 |
| Wyoming | $78,910 |
| Missouri | $78,820 |
| North Dakota | $78,670 |
| Kentucky | $77,620 |
| Alabama | $77,600 |
| California | $77,070 |
| Kansas | $75,190 |
| Washington | $73,750 |
| New Hampshire | $70,670 |
| South Dakota | $69,180 |
| West Virginia | $64,400 |
| Louisiana | $64,200 |
| Maryland | $63,960 |
| Ohio | $63,280 |
| Maine | $63,100 |
| North Carolina | $61,190 |
| Nevada | $58,250 |
| Utah | $55,960 |
| Michigan | $48,760 |
| New York | $109,220 |
| Massachusetts | $108,790 |
How do locomotive engineer salaries compare to similar careers?
Locomotive engineers earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than aircraft mechanics but more than truck drivers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Aircraft mechanic salary | $86K |
| Flight attendant salary | $82K |
| Industrial engineering technician salary | $79K |
| Drafter salary | $77K |
| Traffic technician salary | $79K |
| Locomotive engineer salary | $77K |
| Ship loader salary | $69K |
| Bus driver salary | $67K |
| Rail transportation worker salary | $67K |
| Truck driver salary | $60K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)