Jobs Similar to Locomotive Engineers
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to locomotive engineers, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers, Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders and Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers.
Locomotive Engineers: $81,410 median pay · usual preparation: High school.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
- 1Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers
80% similar · $68,840 (−15%) · High school · Same group
- 2Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders
80% similar · $58,870 (−28%) · High school
- 3Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers
80% similar · $60,600 (−26%) · High school · Same group
- 4Aircraft Service Attendants
79% similar · $40,450 (−50%) · High school
- 5Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
78% similar · $61,390 (−25%) · High school
- 6Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners
78% similar · $49,880 (−39%) · High school
- 7Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
78% similar · $58,640 (−28%) · High school
- 8Pile Driver Operators
78% similar · $73,300 (−10%) · High school
- 9Crane and Tower Operators
78% similar · $68,080 (−16%) · Training or associate
- 10Gas Plant Operators
78% similar · $87,820 (+8%) · High school
- 11Tire Builders
78% similar · $57,390 (−30%) · High school
- 12Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
78% similar · $43,960 (−46%) · High school
- 13Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
77% similar · $96,710 (+19%) · High school
- 14Subway and Streetcar Operators
77% similar · $86,380 (+6%) · High school · Same group
- 15Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
77% similar · $57,430 (−29%) · High school
- 16Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
77% similar · $61,770 (−24%) · High school
- 17Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
77% similar · $70,070 (−14%) · High school
- 18Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
77% similar · $48,040 (−41%) · High school
- 19Hoist and Winch Operators
77% similar · $56,450 (−31%) · High school
- 20Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
77% similar · $59,850 (−26%) · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than locomotive engineers.
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for locomotive engineers also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where locomotive engineers is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation (85)
- Bridge and Lock Tenders (84)
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (82)
- Motorboat Operators (81)
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity (80)
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders (80)
- Aircraft Service Attendants (79)
- Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels (79)
- Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters (78)
- Gas Plant Operators (78)
Questions about jobs like locomotive engineers
What jobs are most similar to locomotive engineers?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers (80% similar), Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders (80% similar), Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers (80% similar), Aircraft Service Attendants (79% similar) and Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters (78% similar).
Which jobs like locomotive engineers pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers ($96,710, +19%; usually a high school diploma), Gas Plant Operators ($87,820, +8%; usually a high school diploma) and Subway and Streetcar Operators ($86,380, +6%; usually a high school diploma) have the highest BLS median pay compared with locomotive engineers ($81,410). Without more preparation than locomotive engineers usually need: Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers, Gas Plant Operators and Subway and Streetcar Operators.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.