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?

57% 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 285 reviews)); "The benefits are good and it’s steady" ((in 224 reviews)); "pension and benefits are good" ((in 77 reviews)); "And good money if you are in the right place for doing very little work." ((in 63 reviews)); "3. Good opportunity for professional development." ((in 23 reviews))

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

"no work life balance and 24/7 scheduling" ((in 94 reviews)); "Long hours and being on call at all hour can be difficult for most people with families at home." ((in 70 reviews)); "The 2021 round of layoffs" ((in 27 reviews)); "They don't care about you or your family they just want the bottom $. 1 in 4 managers are good." ((in 22 reviews)); "It is normal to have a 10 to 15 hour journey home eating into any time off." ((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

If you like to work and make a lot of money, then this is the job for you! - Freight Conductor CN Employee Review

4.0

Oct 6, 2020

Freight conductor

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

- The money is great - Pension - Stock options - Somewhat flexible work / home balance depending on what your seniority can hold.

Cons

Be prepared to be away from home a lot. Depending what your seniority can hold ability to take 24hrs rest between shifts is reduced to only being able to only take 14hrs max rest. Being properly rested for work is a constant challenge. Train lineups are very unpredictable. You are always on call and hard to plan on when the will ring Also be prepared to be laid off at somepoint within your first couple years. A fluctuating economy impacts railroad traffic.

CN Response

5y

Thank you for sharing your feedback and for your hard work at CN. When we recruit talent to our operations teams, we spend a lot of time going over the working conditions and 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 pride ourselves on providing our team with great benefits and strive hard to create a work environment where everyone feels good to work in, and where all employees have an opportunity to develop and grow their career. Thank you for having helped move our business and the economy forward.

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5.0

Apr 2, 2026

Communications technician

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Its what you make of it. Good union job with good benefits

Cons

You're always waiting on trains.

CN Response

3mo

Thank you for your feedback and for your hard work. We pride ourselves on providing our team members with great benefits. We thank you for moving our business and the economy forward. Please share your thoughts with your manager and on your regular Interaction surveys.

4.0

Apr 13, 2026

S&c design engineer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Pays decently well for first job out of college. My manager and team are very reasonable with expectations placed on new hires. Working after office hours (past 4:30pm) is extremely rare and only expected in emergencies.

Cons

Very slow and/or limited job growth potential. Promotions into middle management are almost purely based on reputation with middle managers who are largely people with previous field experience. This is very disadvantageous to direct-from-college hires like myself and even my current manager.

CN Response

3mo

Thank you for your feedback and for your hard work. We pride ourselves on providing our team members with great pay. With a 24/7/365 operation CN could not function without its dedicated employees. We thank you for moving our business and the economy forward. Remember to leverage your development plan to have career discussions with your leader and please share your thoughts on your regular Interaction surveys.

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Jobs at CN

Track Maintenance Foreperson

Senior Engineer, Bridge Testing

Facilities Maintenance Electrician

CN

If you like to work and make a lot of money, then this is the job for you! - Freight Conductor CN Employee Review

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