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 25 reviews)); "Good people to work with" ((in 17 reviews)); "They actually care about ALL team members" ((in 8 reviews)); "friendly work environment" ((in 7 reviews)); "Railroad retirement" ((in 7 reviews))

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

"Shift work and bad management" ((in 26 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 6 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

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Watco Companies

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 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 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).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

286 reviews

3.0

May 22, 2019

Average job

Account manager

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Freedom to build your own book of business

Cons

Little room for advancement

Watco Companies Response

Thanks for taking the time to provide feedback on your experience here. It's important to us that all of our Team Members who want the opportunity to learn/grow/further serve our customers, have that opportunity. If you have career goals that you'd like to discuss, feel free to reach out to me at rpeterson@watcocompanies.com and we can talk about your goals/interests.

3.0

Apr 3, 2019

Ok, but does not pay a competitive compensation.

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Decent work-life balance for the commercial folks

Cons

Fast paced. “We care” as long as it’s good news and doesn’t impact your job.

Watco Companies Response

Appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. We understand how important work-life balance is to our Team Members, so it’s good to see that was a benefit of your time at Watco. We also agree that competitive wages are important and we will continue to ensure that we are competitive with the market. We always want to reward our Team for their hard work. Best of luck as you move forward in your career.”

4.0

Mar 30, 2019

Good job

Conductor/unloader

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Railroad and train handling experience plus refinery operations experience

Cons

We are contractors at a local refinery

Watco Companies Response

Thank you for the feedback. We are glad that you are getting some great experience working at Watco.

Viewing 184 - 186 of 286 Reviews

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Jobs at Watco Companies

Entry Level Railcar Repairman - Decatur, IL

Traffic Coordinator - Houston, Texas

Front-End Loader Operator - Houston, TX

Entry Level Locomotive Mechanic - Plankinton, SD

Transportation Coordinator - Spring, TX