Does CN pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, CN employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.9 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at CN. This rating has improved by 1% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at CN?

56% of CN employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated CN 2.6 out of 5 for work life balance, 2.8 for culture and values and 3.1 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at CN?

Railroad Conductor (126) , Locomotive Engineer (75) , Train Conductor (55) , Conductor (49) , Freight Conductor (49) , Intern (23) , Manager (21) , Project Manager (21) , Trainmaster (19) , Analyst (15) , Supervisor (15) , Carman (14) , Heavy Equipment Operator (14) , Engineer (13) , Freight Train Conductor (13)

What are the pros of working at CN according to real employee reviews?

"Pay is good and stock plan is nice.." ((in 282 reviews)); "The benefits are good and it’s steady" ((in 226 reviews)); "Ok pay good pension and benifits" ((in 80 reviews)); "Good salary and IT challenges" ((in 70 reviews)); "And good money if you are in the right place for doing very little work." ((in 60 reviews))

What are the cons of working at CN according to real employee reviews?

"no work life balance and 24/7 scheduling" ((in 95 reviews)); "Long hours and being on call at all hour can be difficult for most people with families at home." ((in 65 reviews)); "Layoffs and Furloughs are common." ((in 24 reviews)); "It is normal to have a 10 to 15 hour journey home eating into any time off." ((in 23 reviews)); "They don't care about you or your family they just want the bottom $. 1 in 4 managers are good." ((in 22 reviews))

What are employees saying about CN layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about CN layoffs and their outlook for job security at CN in 2026.

What are the top reviewed CN locations?

Homewood , Chicago , Memphis , Stevens Point , Fond du Lac , Gary , Jackson , Baton Rouge , Champaign , Duluth , Battle Creek , Detroit , Waterloo , Proctor , Superior , Milwaukee , Flat Rock , Port Huron , New Orleans , Joliet , Markham , Decatur , Wisconsin Rapids , Burlington , Minneapolis , Mattoon , Libertyville , Naperville , Willow Springs , Effingham

CN reviews

3.3

56% would recommend to a friend

(1,532 total reviews)

Tracy Robinson

46% approve of CEO

46% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

3.9

Compensation and benefits

3.5

Diversity & inclusion

3.1

Career opportunities

2.8

Culture & values

2.6

Work/Life balance

2.6

Senior management

CN has an employee rating of 3.3 out of 5 stars, based on 1,532 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The CN employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Transportation & Logistics industry (3.5 stars).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

2K reviews

4.0

Apr 14, 2025

Solid class 1 RR

Training officer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great pay and benefits compared to other Class 1 RR

Cons

Systems and everyday processes can be redundant

CN Response

1y

Thank you for your feedback and for your hard work. With a 24/7/365 operation CN could not function without its dedicated employees. We thank you for helping move our business and the economy forward. Please share your thoughts during our regular Interaction surveys.

2.0

Apr 10, 2025

Poor management and poor pay for lifestyle

Transportation

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Compared to most jobs you can get out of high-school the pay is decent. The benefits aren't to bad either. Working as a conductor/engineer is easy work for the most part as well

Cons

Company expects you to be available 24/7. The pay is not worth the constant anxiety you get waiting by a phone. I have been here for over four years and I have never once seen them able to actually manage a schedule at all. You never know when you'll be called for work and if your unlucky enough to get on a spareboard with no guarantee then you might as well be working a minimum wage job. The culture at cn is also terrible with management completely uncaring about it's workers. Their are plenty of oppurtitnes for management to fix glaring issues such as scheduling, rest, and manpower shortages but instead of trying to do anything they lock out employees and force arbitration on a contract. At its core cn is one of the worst companies I've ever worked for. The job may be not to bad but the schedule and lifestyle are not worth the pay they give.

CN Response

1y

Thank you for your feedback and for your hard work. We pride ourselves on providing our team members with great benefits and pay. When we recruit talent to our teams we spend a lot of time going over the realities associated with the railroad operating 24/7/365 days a year, including how being on call can disrupt your family life and important events. We thank you for helping move our business and the economy forward. Please share your thoughts during our regular Interaction surveys.

2.0

Apr 9, 2025

Railroading

Railroad conductor

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Money is the main factor

Cons

Lifestyle, benefits, union management relationship

CN Response

1y

Thank you for your feedback and for your hard work. We pride ourselves on providing our team members with great pay. When we recruit talent to our teams we spend a lot of time going over the realities associated with the railroad operating 24/7/365 days a year, including how being on call can disrupt your family life and important events. We thank you for helping move our business and the economy forward and hope you shared your thoughts during your exit interview.

Viewing 94 - 96 of 1,532 Reviews

Jobs at CN

Facilities Maintenance Electrician

Supervisor, Mechanical – Locomotive

Supervisor, Work Equipment

Senior Manager, Contracts and Compliance

CN

CN reviews

Ratings by category

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Solid class 1 RR

Poor management and poor pay for lifestyle

Railroading

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