Norfolk Southern number of employees

Norfolk Southern reported 19,400 employees at December 31, 2025 in its latest annual report, down 800 (4.0%) on the year before. That compares with 18,500 at December 31, 2021. Revenue per employee was $627,835.

Headcount by year

Fiscal year end	Employees	Change	Revenue per employee	Source
December 31, 2025	19,400	−800 (4.0%)	$627,835	10-K, filed February 9, 2026
December 31, 2024	20,200	−100 (0.5%)	$600,149	10-K, filed February 10, 2025
December 31, 2023	20,300	+1,400 (7.4%)	$598,818	10-K, filed February 5, 2024
December 31, 2022	18,900	+400 (2.2%)	$674,339	10-K, filed February 3, 2023
December 31, 2021	18,500	—	$602,270	10-K, filed February 4, 2022

What the annual reports say

HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT Workforce – We employed an average of 19,400 employees during 2025 and 19,300 employees at the end of 2025. 2025 annual report
HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT Workforce – We employed an average of 20,200 employees during 2024 and 19,600 employees at the end of 2024. 2024 annual report
HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT Workforce – We employed an average of 20,300 employees during 2023, and 20,700 employees at the end of 2023. 2023 annual report
HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT Workforce – We employed an average of 18,900 employees during 2022, and 19,300 employees at the end of 2022. 2022 annual report
HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT Workforce – We employed an average of 18,500 employees during 2021, and 18,100 employees at the end of 2021. 2021 annual report

Headcount as the company states it in Item 1 of its annual report (some count full-time equivalents or exclude part-time and temporary staff), at the date it gives. Years where the report states no clear total are left out rather than estimated. Changes can reflect acquisitions and disposals as well as hiring and job cuts.

Compare with peers

Union Pacific Corporation employees

Head to head: NSC vs UNP

More: Rail Transportation stocks compared, Industrials sector, rankings of US companies

Figures from Norfolk Southern's SEC filings (10-K and 10-Q), retrieved October 23, 2026. How we read and check them: methodology and data sources. Not investment advice. Back to Norfolk Southern.