Does Watco Companies pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Watco Companies employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.4 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Watco Companies. This rating has decreased by 3% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Watco Companies?

66% of Watco Companies employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Watco Companies 3.5 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.5 for culture and values and 3.5 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Watco Companies?

Railroad Conductor (12) , Conductor (10) , Operator (10) , Manager (9) , Engineer (6) , Switchman (6) , Customer Service Representative (5) , Account Manager (4) , Locomotive Engineer (4) , Locomotive Engineer/Conductor (4) , Safety Manager (3) , Supervisor (3) , Account and Administrative Coordinator (2) , Accountant (2) , Analyst (2)

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

"Good Benefits and vacation package" ((in 28 reviews)); "Good people to work with" ((in 20 reviews)); "Railroad retirement" ((in 7 reviews)); "Good team members most people are friendly." ((in 7 reviews)); "When there is no barges then it's laid back in the shade doing nothing easy money and the crew are all good guys that got each other's backs" ((in 6 reviews))

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

"Poor management more concerned about whose butt to kiss then actually managing crews." ((in 29 reviews)); "Upper management has lost touch with their sites and only concerned with spending." ((in 11 reviews)); "6 different managers in the last 3 years." ((in 7 reviews)); "Long hours, but it is railroading afterall" ((in 6 reviews)); "And to top it all the pay is terrible and they will not give you a raise unless you are a senior employee." ((in 4 reviews))

What are employees saying about Watco Companies layoffs in 2026?

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

What are the top reviewed Watco Companies locations?

Pittsburg , Houston , Overland Park , Wichita , Kansas City , Birmingham , Madison , Osceola , Springdale , Tioga , Tuscaloosa , Oklahoma City , Toledo , Baton Rouge , Ferndale , Cherryvale , Linden , Wood River , Janesville , Tulsa , Hawesville , Wright , Austin , Freeport , Belle , Whiting , Keenesburg , Minden , Fitzgerald , Newark

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Watco Companies

Watco Companies reviews

3.5

66% would recommend to a friend

(287 total reviews)

Dan Smith

77% approve of CEO

61% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

3.5

Culture & values

3.5

Work/Life balance

3.5

Career opportunities

3.4

Compensation and benefits

3.3

Diversity & inclusion

3.2

Senior management

Watco Companies has an employee rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars, based on 287 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Watco Companies 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

287 reviews

1.0

Jan 12, 2021

Good for a step stone

Mechanic

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

If youre a quick learner then this is for you. You will learn a lot and be cross trained

Cons

All the promises but no delivery on them. I learned a lot in my my time there and made some amazing connections. But there is no care for the employees and this is not a long term job. And the pay is below the standard.

Watco Companies Response

If you're ever interested in discussing your feedback in further detail, feel free to email me at rpeterson@watco.com. We're always looking for ways to continuously improve.

4.0

Jan 11, 2021

Busy but great

Logistics assistant

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great learning experiences, the other branches and departments are helpful. Some internal clients weren't the cheeriest to work with. Overall, the industry Watco thrives in in busy and fast paced, but it can be rewarding.

Cons

Balancing your tasks at work is really on your shoulders, and there can be times where you're expected to work almost every waking hour of that week/weekend. If you like this field it's a solid fit, though.

Watco Companies Response

Appreciate the feedback. Best of luck as you move on from Watco!

3.0

Jan 8, 2021

Watco train driver

Locomotive driver

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Good team, good and approachable management

Cons

Roster is pretty rough, all over the place.

Watco Companies Response

Thanks for the feedback. Great to hear that you have a good team and approachable management. Both of those things are obviously critical to having a great work environment.

Viewing 145 - 147 of 287 Reviews

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Jobs at Watco Companies

Safety Specialist - Houston, TX

Traffic Coordinator - Houston, Texas

Conductor - Wolfforth, TX

Student Conductor / Conductor - Corpus Christi, TX

Deckhand - New Johnsonville, TN