Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters Salary
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ make a median of $80,000 a year, or about $38.46 an hour. The range runs from $56K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 112.56), so that salary is closer to $71,073 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,910/month, about 55.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $80K get you in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by New York-Newark-Jersey City’s Regional Price Parity (112.56). 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City
Railroad conductors and yardmasters pay in New York-Newark-Jersey City tracks closely to the national median, $80K locally vs. $78K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,910/month, which is 57.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 13% above the national average (BEA RPP 112.56), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
Entry-level railroad conductors and yardmasters (10th percentile) start around $56K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $24K 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 quarterly. We'll email you when New York-Newark-Jersey City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a railroad conductors and yardmaster afford a 2BR apartment alone in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 57.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,910/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/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 New York-Newark-Jersey City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new railroad conductors and yardmasters typically earn — is $56K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,331/month. At HUD’s $2,910/month FMR, rent would take 87% 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $78K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does New York-Newark-Jersey City compare to the national average for railroad conductors and yardmasters?
New York-Newark-Jersey City pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 112.56), the purchasing-power equivalent is $71K — below the national median.
How much do railroad conductors and yardmasters make in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ?
The median is $80,000 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $55,520, and experienced railroad conductors and yardmasters can clear $80,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,073/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,910/month, which eats 57.4% 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City?
New York-Newark-Jersey City has a Regional Price Parity of 112.56 (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 $71,073 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.