Locomotive Engineers Salary
Locomotive Engineers in Pennsylvania make a median of $82,460 a year, or about $39.64 an hour. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $101K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $86,827 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,351/month, or 25.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Pennsylvania. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $82K get you in Pennsylvania?
About locomotive engineers
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Locomotive engineers pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $82K locally vs. $81K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,351/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level locomotive engineers (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $101K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track locomotive engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a locomotive engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
Yes — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 25.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for locomotive engineers in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new locomotive engineers typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,615/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $82K locally vs. $81K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for locomotive engineers?
Pennsylvania pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do locomotive engineers make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $82,460 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,250, and experienced locomotive engineers can clear $100,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,322/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 25.4% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $86,827 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.