Locomotive Engineers Salary
Locomotive Engineers in Kansas make a median of $75,190 a year, or about $36.15 an hour. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.54), which stretches that salary to about $83,974 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,066/month, or 21.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Kansas. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $75K get you in Kansas?
About locomotive engineers
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What this looks like in Kansas
Locomotive engineers pay in Kansas tracks closely to the national median, $75K locally vs. $81K nationwide, a 8% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,066/month, 22.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.54 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kansas
Entry-level locomotive engineers (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $18K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track locomotive engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kansas numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a locomotive engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kansas?
Yes — at the median salary of $75K, rent takes 22.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,066/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for locomotive engineers in Kansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new locomotive engineers typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,640/month. At HUD’s $1,066/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is locomotive engineer a high-paying job in Kansas?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $75K locally vs. $81K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Kansas compare to the national average for locomotive engineers?
Kansas pays $75K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do locomotive engineers make in Kansas?
The median is $75,190 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,660, and experienced locomotive engineers can clear $78,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in Kansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,804/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,066/month, which eats 22.2% 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 Kansas?
Kansas has a Regional Price Parity of 89.54 (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 $83,974 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.