Science

Transportation Planners

Prepare studies for proposed transportation projects. Gather, compile, and analyze data. Study the use and operation of transportation systems. Develop transportation models or simulations.

Median salary (BLS)

$101,110

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$66k – $160k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $119,000 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 Planners

Qualification costs Stack income Best cities/states School ROI Job-posting fit Tailored resume

Education

Typical entry: Bachelor's degree

Plan my path to this →

Typical progression

Transportation Planners Intern
Internship
$36,000
~4 mos to advance
Junior Transportation Planners
Entry / Junior
$66,120
~2 yrs to advance
Transportation Planners
Established
$101,110
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Transportation Planners
Senior
$130,705

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

•Define regional or local transportation planning problems or priorities.
•Participate in public meetings or hearings to explain planning proposals, to gather feedback from those affected by projects, or to achieve consensus on project designs.
•Prepare reports or recommendations on transportation planning.
•Collaborate with engineers to research, analyze, or resolve complex transportation design issues.
•Recommend transportation system improvements or projects, based on economic, population, land-use, or traffic projections.

Fields of study

Any field

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