Locomotive Engineers Salary
Locomotive Engineers in Wisconsin make a median of $84,550 a year, or about $40.65 an hour. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $85K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $89,632 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,202/month, or 22.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Wisconsin. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $85K get you in Wisconsin?
About locomotive engineers
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Locomotive engineers pay in Wisconsin tracks closely to the national median, $85K locally vs. $81K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,202/month, 22.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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, Wisconsin
Entry-level locomotive engineers (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $85K. Top earners bring in $85K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track locomotive engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Wisconsin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a locomotive engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wisconsin?
Yes — at the median salary of $85K, rent takes 22.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for locomotive engineers in Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new locomotive engineers typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,707/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 32% 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 Wisconsin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $85K locally vs. $81K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for locomotive engineers?
Wisconsin pays $85K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do locomotive engineers make in Wisconsin?
The median is $84,550 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,780, and experienced locomotive engineers can clear $84,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $85K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,369/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 22.4% 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $89,632 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.