Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters pay in Illinois
$89,110avg. a year
$42.84 an hour · 2,790 employed
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters in Illinois earn an average of $89,110 a year. That is $10,010 (13%) more than the U.S. average of $79,100. In Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN the average is $87,680.
$79,820Median pay
$42.84Average hourly
+34%Avg. pay since 2020
#2Of 33 states
Top-paying Illinois metro areas
Average pay for railroad conductors and yardmasters by metro area.
180 jobs
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
$87,680
$42.15 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters pay in Illinois, charted
Pay over time
Illinois, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Illinois highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $68k$68k–$78k$78k–$83k$83k+Illinois
Illinois vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $79,100 | $38.03 |
| Illinois | $89,110 | $42.84 |
| Indiana | $81,500 | $39.18 |
| Missouri | $69,990 | $33.65 |
| Wisconsin | $64,110 | $30.82 |
| Kentucky | $50,230 | $24.15 |
Related jobs in Illinois
Average pay, Illinois, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do railroad conductors and yardmasters make in Illinois?
The average is $89,110 a year, and the median is $79,820. That is $10,010 (13%) more than the U.S. average of $79,100.
What is the hourly wage in Illinois?
$42.84 an hour on average; the median is $38.38.
How does Illinois rank?
Illinois ranks #2 of 33 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 53-4031. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national railroad conductors and yardmasters page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.