Locomotive Engineers Salary
Locomotive Engineers in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA make a median of $63,700 a year, or about $30.63 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $157K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $98K, significantly higher than the median. This typically reflects a mix of employment settings including academic and private practice positions. Prices run high here (RPP 113.57), so that salary is closer to $56,089 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,601/month, about 62.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $64K get you in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim’s Regional Price Parity (113.57). 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
Pay for locomotive engineers in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $81K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,601/month, which is 61.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 14% above the national average (BEA RPP 113.57), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for locomotive engineerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Entry-level locomotive engineers (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $157K or more, a $106K 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
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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a locomotive engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 61.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,601/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for locomotive engineers in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new locomotive engineers typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,049/month. At HUD’s $2,601/month FMR, rent would take 85% 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $64K here vs. $81K nationally.
How does Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim compare to the national average for locomotive engineers?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 113.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — below the national median.
How much do locomotive engineers make in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA?
The median is $63,700 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,820, and experienced locomotive engineers can clear $156,870. The mean (average) is $98,260, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,250/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,601/month, which eats 61.2% 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim has a Regional Price Parity of 113.57 (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 $56,089 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.