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Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters

Drives freight and passenger trains.

Typical education to startHigh school diploma or equivalent
Job outlook2025–2035: +1%
Median pay$78,000 a year (2025)
Interest codeRCE Realistic, Conventional, Enterprising

Read the full guide

Locomotive engineers operate trains, watch signals and track conditions, and work with conductors to move freight and passengers safely. Most start as conductors and train with the railroad. Schedules are often on call.

Open the locomotive engineer guide

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Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters on O*NET OnLine · O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections 2025.