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Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters in California

Get the information you need to know about working as a Railroad Conductor or Yardmaster.

-6% Jobs Projection

$73,740 Median Salary

130 Job Openings

While jobs for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters in California are decreasing, those who do work in these jobs get paid higher than average.

Employment for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters in California is expected to decrease.
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters in California earn higher salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.

What Major Will Prepare You For a Railroad Conductor or Yardmaster Career?

How Many Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters Work in California?

There were approximately 1,480 workers employed as Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters in this state in 2018.

There were 1,550 Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters employed in this state in 2017.

That’s a decline of 70 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

The typical state has 745 Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters working in it, which means California has more Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters than average.

Job Projections for California

Jobs for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters in this state are declining at a rate of 6.3% which is a faster decline than the nationwide estimated projection of -1.9%.

California Annual Job Openings

The BLS estimates 130 annual job openings, and a total of 1,500 jobs for California Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters in 2026.

Nationwide, the prediction is 3,700 annual jobs and 41,000 total jobs in 2026.

What do Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters Make in California?

In 2018 wages for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters ranged from $54,370 to $103,750 with $73,740 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $26.14 to $49.88. The median hourly rate was $35.45.

In 2017 the median pay for this field was $34.08 an hour.

The hourly rate grew by $1.37.

The median salary in California is higher than the nationwide median salary.

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Top States for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters Employment

The table below shows the states where most Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters work.

State	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
New York	5,900	$62,130
Texas	3,940	$64,170
Pennsylvania	3,020	$63,240
Illinois	2,690	$65,010
Ohio	1,710	$61,990
Indiana	1,580	$59,850
California	1,480	$73,740
Missouri	1,030	$63,780
Alabama	1,000	$60,850
New Jersey	980	$69,910
Florida	980	$61,460
Georgia	880	$59,970
Tennessee	760	$64,470
Kentucky	730	$51,420
Wyoming	730	$71,820
Iowa	710	$0
District of Columbia	680	$68,380
Washington	650	$69,280
Michigan	610	$61,120
Wisconsin	530	$63,710

Below are the states where Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters get paid the most:

State	Annual Median Salary
Maryland	$74,500
California	$73,740
Wyoming	$71,820
Massachusetts	$70,310
New Jersey	$69,910
Washington	$69,280
District of Columbia	$68,380
Oregon	$66,390
Nevada	$65,030
Illinois	$65,010

References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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