Locomotive Engineers Salary
Locomotive Engineers in Illinois make a median of $93,320 a year, or about $44.87 an hour. The range runs from $76K at the entry level to $152K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $99,435 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,407/month, or 23.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Illinois. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $93K get you in Illinois?
About locomotive engineers
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What this looks like in Illinois
Illinois sits well above the national pay line for locomotive engineers, local pay runs about 15% higher than the U.S. median of $81K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,407/month, 24.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Illinois offers a genuinely strong financial position for locomotive engineerss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level locomotive engineers (10th percentile) start around $76K. Mid-career wages sit at $93K. Top earners bring in $152K or more, a $76K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track locomotive engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a locomotive engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
Yes — at the median salary of $93K, rent takes 24.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for locomotive engineers in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new locomotive engineers typically earn — is $76K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,571/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 31% 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 Illinois?
Local pay is 15% above the national median — $93K here vs. $81K nationally.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for locomotive engineers?
Illinois pays $93K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s +15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $99K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do locomotive engineers make in Illinois?
The median is $93,320 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $76,190, and experienced locomotive engineers can clear $152,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $93K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,785/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 24.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a locomotive engineers salary go in Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median locomotive engineers salary is worth about $99,435 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.