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 283 reviews)); "The benefits are good and it’s steady" ((in 223 reviews)); "Ok pay good pension and benifits" ((in 77 reviews)); "Good salary and IT challenges" ((in 73 reviews)); "And good money if you are in the right place for doing very little work." ((in 65 reviews))

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

"no work life balance and 24/7 scheduling" ((in 93 reviews)); "Long hours and being on call at all hour can be difficult for most people with families at home." ((in 67 reviews)); "Big layoffs." ((in 25 reviews)); "It is normal to have a 10 to 15 hour journey home eating into any time off." ((in 24 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

(1,533 total reviews)

Tracy Robinson

46% approve of CEO

46% positive business outlook

Company ratings over time

Ratings trend for the last 6 months (1,533 reviews)

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

CN has an employee rating of 3.3 out of 5 stars, based on 1,533 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).

Reviews by job title

2K reviews

2.0

Feb 8, 2020

Work is great, Management style not so much

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Lots of options to work different type of jobs, once seniority starts growing.

Cons

Management is a joke. Definitely behind on the 'Respect at a workplace' situation. Many not qualified to work or understand the railway. Safety is preached a lot, but when you face a real safety issue, you are scrutinized to such an extent, which can even cost you your livelihood. In other words, safety is taken as seriously as it is talked about

CN Response

6y

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. Safety is a core value at CN and we pride ourselves on providing our employees with the necessary tools and training to work safely. We are disappointed to hear your thoughts regarding management and we hope that you shared your experience with our colleague during your exit interview so we can develop strategies to do better in the future.

2.0

Feb 4, 2020

It takes more than a good salary to keep good people

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Salary and benefits are ok

Cons

Difficult to get promoted. It’s not about the work that you do or the skills that you have. It is all about who you’re friends with at the top.

CN Response

6y

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are concerned to hear you feel promotions are not provided based on merit and strongly encourage you to speak to your manager or Human Resources Business Partner to address share your thoughts.

3.0

Jan 28, 2020

Tough times

It administrator

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Good people. Company was an amazing place to work before 2018.

Cons

Current CEO and former CITO have lost the trust of employees. 2019 was brutal. Layoffs, outsourcing with few details, hasty decision to cut bonuses for employees.

CN Response

6y

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. 2019 was a tough year with labour stoppages and declines in volumes, which led to objectives that were not met. We understand your disappointment in regards to the bonus. As you know, we have made modifications to our bonus structure so that moving forward, the threshold to attaining even a partial bonus will be easier to reach.We recommend you speak with your manager or Human Resources Business Partner to share your thoughts.

Viewing 1033 - 1035 of 1,533 Reviews

Jobs at CN

Rail Track Maintainer

Rail Track Maintainer

Facilities Maintenance Electrician

Regional Chief, Engineering

CN

CN reviews

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Work is great, Management style not so much

It takes more than a good salary to keep good people

Tough times

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