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Engineering

Transportation Engineers

Develop plans for surface transportation projects, according to established engineering standards and state or federal construction policy. Prepare designs, specifications, or estimates for transportation facilities. Plan modifications of existing streets, highways, or freeways to improve traffic flow.

Median salary (BLS)

$100,840

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$68k – $163k

Job outlook

+5% (faster than average)

AI exposure

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports one wage for this occupational group, which covers 2 related roles — so read the median as an approximate group figure, and the range as the truer picture for this specific title. BLS source.

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $99,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Transportation Engineers

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: Bachelor's degree

Plan my path to this →

Typical progression

  1. Transportation Engineers Intern

    Internship

    $36,000

    ~4 mos to advance

  2. Junior Transportation Engineers

    Entry / Junior

    $68,240

    ~2 yrs to advance

  3. Transportation Engineers

    Established

    $100,840

    ~3 yrs to advance

  4. Senior Transportation Engineers

    Senior

    $132,030

Internships are a common on-ramp here — they speed up landing that first role and improve your odds, which is why the Safe and High-ceiling plans build one in.

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Design or prepare plans for new transportation systems or parts of systems, such as airports, commuter trains, highways, streets, bridges, drainage structures, or roadway lighting.
  • •Check construction plans, design calculations, or cost estimations to ensure completeness, accuracy, or conformity to engineering standards or practices.
  • •Prepare administrative, technical, or statistical reports on traffic-operation matters, such as accidents, safety measures, or pedestrian volume or practices.
  • •Plan alteration or modification of existing transportation structures to improve safety or function.
  • •Confer with contractors, utility companies, or government agencies to discuss plans, specifications, or work schedules.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Engineering

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.