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 224 reviews)); "Ok pay good pension and benifits" ((in 76 reviews)); "And good money if you are in the right place for doing very little work." ((in 60 reviews)); "Great team to work with." ((in 20 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 66 reviews)); "Layoffs and Furloughs are common." ((in 28 reviews)); "the upper management is horrible." ((in 21 reviews)); "They don't care about you or your family they just want the bottom $. 1 in 4 managers are good." ((in 21 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

2.0

Feb 3, 2025

Prison

Transportation manager

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

-Pay if you fight to be compensated, they will low ball you if you don't.

Cons

- Toxic culture - Promotions based friendships and not ability - Changing pension half was through career - Changing goal posts to not pay bonuses - No support - Long hours ( 80 + Hrs a week ) - No respect for time off - Cancelling vacation - Black out periods for vacation that are half the year - Lots of yelling - Lots of political games - Constant reduction of staff and adding to existing jobs with no plan to ensure work completed without taxing employee - No training - Everything is broken and no process to fix. - Expect you to cover expenses and they pay you back later - HR has no confidentiality - Understaffed and no plan to fill positions,

CN Response

1y

Thank you for your feedback and for your hard work. We pride ourselves on providing our team members with great pay and benefits. 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 strive hard to create a work environment where all employees have an opportunity to develop and grow their career. We thank you for helping move our business and the economy forward and hope you shared your thoughts during your exit interview.

1.0

Jan 31, 2025

If you do not want family or personal life...

Signals and communications technician

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

If you don't want to be at home, you will have plenty of opportunities to use work as an excuse.

Cons

Untrained supervisors, terrible work/life balance

CN Response

1y

Thank you for your feedback and for your hard work. 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 pulse and Interaction surveys.

1.0

Jan 31, 2025

Politics: Incompetent Senior Leaders

Portfolio manager

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

CEO is helping her team

Cons

Everyone from Level 3 to Level 7 manager are just there to massage each others ego. That’s why today’s leadership is incompetent. People who have stayed in the company for decades trying to prove themselves/hide their weakness using Consulting Companies.

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 strive hard to create a work environment where all employees have an opportunity to develop and grow their career. We thank you for helping move our business and the economy forward. Please share your thoughts during our regular pulse and Interaction surveys and speak with your senior leadership team and or HRBP.

Viewing 127 - 129 of 1,532 Reviews

Jobs at CN

Coordinator, Engineering

Facilities Maintenance Electrician

Senior Engineer, Bridge Testing

CN

CN reviews

Ratings by category

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Prison

If you do not want family or personal life...

Politics: Incompetent Senior Leaders

Jobs at CN

CN reviews FAQs

Want the inside scoop on your own company?

Bowls

Followed companies

Job searches

CN reviews FAQs

Jobs at CN