Indian Railways, being the largest public sector employer in India, offers lakhs of job opportunities every year. With attractive salaries, government perks, and career growth, it’s one of the top choices for aspirants preparing for RRB NTPC, RRB Group D, RRB JE, RRB ALP, and RRB SSE exams.
But the biggest question is:
“Which are the top railway jobs in India with highest salary and reputation?”
Here is a detailed list of the Top 10 Railway Jobs in 2025 based on:
Salary
Promotions
Work Environment
Power & Prestige
Job Security
1. Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS)
- Exam: UPSC Civil Services
- Level: Group A (Class 1 Officer)
- Salary: ₹1,20,000 – ₹2,00,000/month (incl. allowances)
- Role: Managing train operations, scheduling, and goods/passenger movement
- Perks: Bungalow, official vehicle, free rail passes, LTC
Why it’s prestigious: Direct decision-maker in train routing, control, logistics — brain of Indian Railways.
High CPC Keyword: IRTS salary and perks
2. Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS)
- Exam: UPSC Civil Services
- Role: HR management of over 12 lakh employees
- Salary: ₹1,00,000 – ₹1,90,000/month
- Posting: Zonal HQs, Railway Board
Why it’s prestigious: Handles recruitment, training, promotion of the entire workforce. Critical administrative role.
High CPC Keyword: IRPS job profile UPSC
3. Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS)
- Exam: UPSC Civil Services
- Role: Budgeting, finance audit, accounts of Indian Railways
- Salary: ₹1,10,000+ per month
- Perks: Independent charge, staff, residence, pension benefits
Why it’s prestigious: Backbone of financial governance in Indian Railways. Often posted as Financial Advisors.
High CPC Keyword: IRAS vs IRS
4. Senior Section Engineer (SSE)
- Exam: RRB SSE
- Qualification: B.Tech (Civil, Mech, EEE, etc.)
- Salary: ₹55,000 – ₹70,000/month
- Role: Supervision of railway infrastructure projects
Why it’s prestigious: Responsible for maintenance, project work, and field engineering decisions. Leads junior engineers.
High CPC Keyword: railway SSE promotion scope
5. Junior Engineer (JE)
- Exam: RRB JE
- Salary: ₹42,000 – ₹55,000/month
- Role: Assisting SSEs, ensuring technical and safety compliance
- Departments: Civil, Electrical, Signal & Telecom, Mechanical
Why it’s prestigious: Excellent technical job with good work-life balance & steady growth to SSE & AEN levels.
High CPC Keyword: RRB JE salary after 7th pay
6. Assistant Loco Pilot (ALP)
- Exam: RRB ALP
- Salary: ₹35,000 – ₹50,000/month
- Role: Assisting loco pilot in running trains
- Perks: Running allowance, night duty pay, promotions to Loco Pilot, Power Controller
Why it’s prestigious: Core operational post, high respect, and real-time responsibility on trains.
High CPC Keyword: ALP promotion chart
7. Station Master (SM)
- Exam: RRB NTPC (Graduate Level)
- Salary: ₹50,000 – ₹60,000/month incl. allowances
- Role: Managing station operations, signals, staff, train control
- Promotion Path: Station Manager → Area Manager
Why it’s prestigious: High authority post with power over train handling and coordination.
High CPC Keyword: station master job profile RRB
8. Commercial Apprentice (CA)
- Exam: RRB NTPC
- Salary: ₹45,000 – ₹55,000/month
- Training Duration: 2 years
- Role: Learning commercial operations – parcel, ticketing, revenue collection
Why it’s prestigious: Fast-track promotion to Station Superintendent / Goods Supervisor level.
High CPC Keyword: commercial apprentice salary and promotion
9. Goods Guard
- Exam: RRB NTPC
- Salary: ₹45,000 – ₹55,000/month
- Role: Monitor goods train movement, brake control, train condition reporting
Why it’s prestigious: Critical link in goods logistics; essential for India’s economic movement.
High CPC Keyword: RRB goods guard vs station master
10. Track Maintainer Grade-IV (Group D)
- Exam: RRB Group D
- Salary: ₹28,000 – ₹35,000/month
- Role: Inspecting, maintaining and repairing tracks
- Growth: TM → Keyman → JE via departmental exam
Why it’s prestigious: Backbone of train safety and direct field responsibility. Government perks & pension included.
High CPC Keyword: track maintainer promotion chart
Comparison Table
| Rank | Post | Salary (₹) | Level | Entry Exam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IRTS | ₹1.2L – ₹2L | Group A | UPSC CSE |
| 2 | IRPS | ₹1L – ₹1.9L | Group A | UPSC CSE |
| 3 | IRAS | ₹1.1L+ | Group A | UPSC CSE |
| 4 | Senior Section Engineer (SSE) | ₹55K – ₹70K | Group B | RRB SSE |
| 5 | Junior Engineer (JE) | ₹42K – ₹55K | Group C | RRB JE |
| 6 | Assistant Loco Pilot | ₹35K – ₹50K | Group C | RRB ALP |
| 7 | Station Master | ₹50K – ₹60K | Group C | RRB NTPC |
| 8 | Commercial Apprentice | ₹45K – ₹55K | Group C | RRB NTPC |
| 9 | Goods Guard | ₹45K – ₹55K | Group C | RRB NTPC |
| 10 | Track Maintainer | ₹28K – ₹35K | Group D | RRB Group D |
Final Thoughts
Whether you aim for the prestige of IRTS or IRAS, or the operational strength of Station Master or Loco Pilot, Railway jobs in India provide:
Stable career growth- Full job security
Competitive salaries
Residential & travel perks
Pension & family benefits
Pro Tip: Focus on your preferred department (Tech/Operations/Admin) and plan your preparation accordingly. Every job in Railways has scope for long-term growth.
- highest paying railway jobs in India 2025
- RRB NTPC best posts
- RRB JE salary and promotion
- IRTS salary and perks
- railway engineering jobs
- station master job profile
- commercial apprentice vs goods guard