Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters Salary in Illinois

Railroad Conductors and Yardmasterss in Illinois have a median annual salary of $79,820, which works out to about $38.38 per hour, with a typical 25th–75th percentile range of $76,980 to $96,120, based on the latest BLS OEWS data.

53-4031 · Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters

Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters pay in Illinois at a glance

Median annual salary

$79,820

Median hourly wage

$38.38/hr

Average annual salary

$89,110

Average hourly wage

$42.84/hr

25th percentile

$76,980

75th percentile

$96,120

10th percentile

$63,290

90th percentile

$134,440

People employed

2,790

Salary distribution

Reported wage points from the lowest to the highest paid railroad conductors and yardmasters roles in Illinois.

10th percentile
$63,290
25th percentile
$76,980
Median percentile
$79,820
75th percentile
$96,120
90th percentile
$134,440

Illinois vs U.S. salary

The median salary for railroad conductors and yardmasters roles in Illinois is about 2.3% above the U.S. median of $78,000 for the same occupation.

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How much does a railroad conductors and yardmasters make in Illinois?

Half of railroad conductors and yardmasters roles in Illinois report earning more than $79,820 a year and half report earning less — that is the median. The mean (average) of $89,110 is pulled up or down by the highest and lowest earners, which is why the median is usually the better benchmark.

Salary range

A quarter of reported salaries fall below $76,980 and a quarter are above $96,120, so most railroad conductors and yardmasters pay sits between those two figures. These percentiles describe how pay is spread across all reported roles — they are not a direct measure of years of experience.

What can affect railroad conductors and yardmasters pay?

  • Years of experience and level of responsibility
  • Employer type and size
  • Specialization within the occupation
  • Certifications and licensing
  • Industry
  • Hours worked, shift patterns and overtime
  • The local labor market where the job is based

Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters pay in other states

Related jobs in Illinois

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Methodology · Data sources

Salary figures are benchmarks and can vary by employer, experience, specialization, hours worked and other factors.