Locomotive Engineers Salary
Locomotive Engineers in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX make a median of $65,340 a year, or about $31.42 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.09), that's roughly $63,382 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,931/month, about 42.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $65K get you in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington’s Regional Price Parity (103.09). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About locomotive engineers
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What this looks like in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
Pay for locomotive engineers in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $81K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,931/month, which is 42.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.09) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for locomotive engineerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for locomotive engineers in metros near Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $57K | $58K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
Entry-level locomotive engineers (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $13K spread from bottom to top.
Locomotive Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Locomotive Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $109K | +34% | 1,510 |
| Massachusetts | $109K | +34% | 640 |
| Mississippi | $97K | +19% | 300 |
| Minnesota | $94K | +15% | 990 |
| Illinois | $93K | +15% | 2,340 |
| Indiana | $93K | +14% | 1,030 |
| Florida | $92K | +13% | 350 |
| Oklahoma | $92K | +13% | 260 |
| Virginia | $91K | +12% | 790 |
| Montana | $90K | +11% | 470 |
| Iowa | $90K | +11% | 1,000 |
| Arizona | $90K | +10% | 490 |
| Colorado | $89K | +10% | 480 |
| South Carolina | $89K | +10% | 380 |
| New Mexico | $88K | +9% | 440 |
| New Jersey | $87K | +6% | 830 |
| Wisconsin | $85K | +4% | 220 |
| Pennsylvania | $82K | +1% | 1,430 |
| Tennessee | $81K | +0% | 700 |
| Oregon | $79K | -3% | 580 |
| Texas | $79K | -3% | 3,780 |
| Arkansas | $79K | -3% | 620 |
| Wyoming | $79K | -3% | N/A |
| Missouri | $79K | -3% | 1,110 |
| Kentucky | $78K | -5% | 540 |
| Alabama | $78K | -5% | 590 |
| California | $77K | -5% | 1,570 |
| Kansas | $75K | -8% | 1,020 |
| Washington | $74K | -9% | 1,120 |
| New Hampshire | $71K | -13% | 30 |
| South Dakota | $69K | -15% | 150 |
| West Virginia | $64K | -21% | 340 |
| Louisiana | $64K | -21% | 700 |
| Ohio | $63K | -22% | 200 |
| North Carolina | $61K | -25% | 340 |
Showing 1–10 of 35 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track locomotive engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a locomotive engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 42.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,931/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for locomotive engineers in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new locomotive engineers typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,143/month. At HUD’s $1,931/month FMR, rent would take 61% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is locomotive engineer a high-paying job in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $65K here vs. $81K nationally.
How does Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington compare to the national average for locomotive engineers?
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.09), the purchasing-power equivalent is $63K — below the national median.
How much do locomotive engineers make in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX?
The median is $65,340 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,390, and experienced locomotive engineers can clear $65,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,529/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,931/month, which eats 42.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a locomotive engineers salary go in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington has a Regional Price Parity of 103.09 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median locomotive engineers salary is worth about $63,382 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do locomotive engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.