Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters Salary
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO make a median of $59,790 a year, or about $28.75 an hour. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.78), so that salary is closer to $56,523 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,169/month, about 54.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $60K actually covers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Denver-Aurora-Centennial’s Regional Price Parity (105.78). 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 railroad conductors and yardmasters
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What this looks like in Denver-Aurora-Centennial
Pay for railroad conductors and yardmasters in Denver-Aurora-Centennial runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $78K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,169/month, which is 54.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.78), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for railroad conductors and yardmasters.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
Entry-level railroad conductors and yardmasters (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $10K spread from bottom to top.
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | $102K | +31% | 310 |
| Pennsylvania | $84K | +7% | 2,750 |
| Maryland | $83K | +7% | 300 |
| Indiana | $81K | +4% | 1,720 |
| Delaware | $80K | +3% | N/A |
| New York | $80K | +3% | 6,980 |
| Virginia | $80K | +2% | 900 |
| Illinois | $80K | +2% | 2,790 |
| Florida | $80K | +2% | 760 |
| Washington | $79K | +1% | 810 |
| Michigan | $79K | +1% | 760 |
| Minnesota | $79K | +1% | 830 |
| Arizona | $78K | +0% | 460 |
| Mississippi | $78K | +0% | 440 |
| New Mexico | $78K | -0% | 400 |
| Colorado | $78K | -1% | 490 |
| Georgia | $76K | -3% | 1,740 |
| South Carolina | $74K | -6% | 420 |
| Tennessee | $72K | -8% | 790 |
| California | $70K | -10% | 1,500 |
| Texas | $69K | -12% | 4,640 |
| Kansas | $69K | -12% | 1,200 |
| Oregon | $69K | -12% | 390 |
| Wyoming | $68K | -12% | N/A |
| Missouri | $68K | -13% | 970 |
| Arkansas | $68K | -13% | 390 |
| South Dakota | $63K | -20% | 90 |
| Louisiana | $62K | -20% | 390 |
| Ohio | $61K | -21% | 1,480 |
| Wisconsin | $60K | -23% | 630 |
| North Carolina | $59K | -24% | N/A |
| West Virginia | $55K | -29% | 320 |
| Kentucky | $52K | -33% | 110 |
Showing 1–10 of 33 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track railroad conductors and yardmasters salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Denver-Aurora-Centennial numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a railroad conductors and yardmaster afford a 2BR apartment alone in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 54.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,169/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for railroad conductors and yardmasters in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new railroad conductors and yardmasters typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,578/month. At HUD’s $2,169/month FMR, rent would take 61% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is railroad conductors and yardmaster a high-paying job in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $60K here vs. $78K nationally.
How does Denver-Aurora-Centennial compare to the national average for railroad conductors and yardmasters?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — below the national median.
How much do railroad conductors and yardmasters make in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
The median is $59,790 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,840, and experienced railroad conductors and yardmasters can clear $63,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,954/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,169/month, which eats 54.9% 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 railroad conductors and yardmasters salary go in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial has a Regional Price Parity of 105.78 (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 railroad conductors and yardmasters salary is worth about $56,523 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do railroad conductors and yardmasters 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.