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 23 reviews)); "Railroad Retirement." ((in 6 reviews)); "They knew that my new position would require me to hire new Team Members, so they allowed me to sit in on some interviews as well as run some interviews with them." ((in 6 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 27 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 5 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 5 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

Watco Companies reviews

3.5

66% would recommend to a friend

(286 total reviews)

Dan Smith

77% approve of CEO

61% positive business outlook

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Watco Companies has an employee rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars, based on 286 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).

Reviews by job title

286 reviews

2.0

Mar 22, 2017

Easy but. Trained monkey can do it

Pump operator

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Low skil work with high pay

Cons

Management not trustworthy. Be very careful in what you say.

Watco Companies Response

9y

If you would be willing to discuss, please reach out to me at rpeterson@watcocompanies.com. We work each day to get better, so any further feedback would be appreciated.

1.0

Feb 29, 2016

"Lake Charles job site" Talk a big game, but follow through on nothing

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

It can't get much worse, glad I made it out. Others are not so lucky, Has plenty of potential to be a decent job

Cons

On site management is a joke. Acts like their job is hard by over complicating their own responsibilities. Last manager was banned from the plant for standing up for his crew because another railroad shoved into plant while the switching crew was working, after being told there was a crew actively moving. Manager got into a verbal disagreement with plant supervisors and was banned from plant. Therefore upper management desidedes to appoint the oldest member of crew to site manager solely based on his age apparently because there was no other logical reason other than taking applications would have taken too long. Organization is the last thing on their minds and all management cares about is if they have enough bodies present so they don't have to work. The crewmembers are so so, some just show up, others do whatever they want and only a few are actually held accountable for there actions . Not even to mention the fact that everyone still there is WAY underpaid.

3.0

Feb 4, 2016

Operator

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great work atmosphere and treated reasonably.

Cons

Don't offer much for personal time off.

Viewing 49 - 51 of 286 Reviews

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Jobs at Watco Companies

Account Manager - Houston, TX

Procurement Intern - Overland Park, KS

Service Assurance Rail Support - Pittsburg, KS

Pittsburg, KS

View job

Senior SOC Analyst - Overland Park, KS / Pittsburg, KS / Lowell, AR

Senior SOC Analyst - Overland Park, KS / Pittsburg, KS / Lowell, AR

Watco Companies

Watco Companies reviews

Company ratings over time

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Easy but. Trained monkey can do it

"Lake Charles job site" Talk a big game, but follow through on nothing

Operator

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Jobs at Watco Companies