Locomotive Engineers Salary
Locomotive Engineers in Indiana make a median of $92,790 a year, or about $44.61 an hour. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $129K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $101,067 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,144/month, or 19.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Indiana. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $93K get you in Indiana?
About locomotive engineers
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What this looks like in Indiana
Indiana sits well above the national pay line for locomotive engineers, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $81K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,144/month, 19.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Indiana offers a genuinely strong financial position for locomotive engineerss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level locomotive engineers (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $93K. Top earners bring in $129K or more, a $66K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track locomotive engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a locomotive engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $93K, rent takes 19.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for locomotive engineers in Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new locomotive engineers typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,770/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is locomotive engineer a high-paying job in Indiana?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $93K here vs. $81K nationally.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for locomotive engineers?
Indiana pays $93K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $101K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do locomotive engineers make in Indiana?
The median is $92,790 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,830, and experienced locomotive engineers can clear $129,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $93K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,903/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 19.4% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 $101,067 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.