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Transportation Engineer

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Life As a Transportation Engineer

Career Description 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.

Daily Life Of a Transportation Engineer

  • Plan alteration or modification of existing transportation structures to improve safety or function.
  • Direct the surveying, staking, or laying-out of construction projects.
  • Prepare project budgets, schedules, or specifications for labor or materials.
  • Participate in contract bidding, negotiation, or administration.
  • Prepare administrative, technical, or statistical reports on traffic-operation matters, such as accidents, safety measures, or pedestrian volume or practices.
  • Design or engineer drainage, erosion, or sedimentation control systems for transportation projects.

Transportation Engineer Skills

When polled, Transportation Engineers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

  • Airport Manager
  • Project Engineer
  • Civil Transportation Engineer
  • Transportation Planning Engineer
  • Road Engineer

Job Demand for Transportation Engineers

There were about 303,500 jobs for Transportation Engineer in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 10.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 32,200 new jobs for Transportation Engineer by 2026. The BLS estimates 25,900 yearly job openings in this field.

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The states with the most job growth for Transportation Engineer are Utah, Tennessee, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Alaska, Mississippi, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Transportation Engineer Salary

The typical yearly salary for Transportation Engineers is somewhere between $54,780 and $142,560.

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Transportation Engineers who work in Alaska, California, or New Jersey, make the highest salaries.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Transportation Engineers in different U.S. states.

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $84,320
Alaska $125,470
Arizona $84,770
Arkansas $81,780
California $109,680
Colorado $93,560
Connecticut $93,630
Delaware $91,410
District of Columbia $99,820
Florida $89,480
Georgia $81,110
Hawaii $86,680
Idaho $78,280
Illinois $94,570
Indiana $82,420
Iowa $83,940
Kansas $82,340
Kentucky $82,840
Louisiana $98,700
Maine $82,160
Maryland $86,110
Massachusetts $94,210
Michigan $82,240
Minnesota $90,760
Mississippi $85,880
Missouri $86,710
Montana $77,480
Nebraska $84,240
Nevada $100,700
New Hampshire $83,970
New Jersey $103,760
New Mexico $88,840
New York $102,250
North Carolina $86,270
North Dakota $83,460
Ohio $82,180
Oklahoma $91,090
Oregon $88,270
Pennsylvania $88,740
Rhode Island $87,220
South Carolina $84,660
South Dakota $77,030
Tennessee $93,810
Texas $102,990
Utah $80,690
Vermont $74,960
Virginia $94,780
Washington $93,120
West Virginia $82,210
Wisconsin $78,660
Wyoming $85,220

Tools & Technologies Used by Transportation Engineers

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Transportation Engineers may use on a daily basis:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Web browser software
  • Python
  • Word processing software
  • Microsoft Project
  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Structured query language SQL
  • Bentley MicroStation
  • Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management
  • Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D
  • Computer aided design and drafting software CADD
  • ESRI ArcGIS software
  • Autodesk Land Desktop
  • Bentley GEOPAK Civil Engineering Suite
  • Citilabs Cube
  • McTrans HCS+

How to Become a Transportation Engineer

Learn what Transportation Engineer education requirements there are.

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How Long Does it Take to Become a Transportation Engineer?

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Where Transportation Engineers Are Employed

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The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

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Those thinking about becoming a Transportation Engineer might also be interested in the following careers:

References:

Image Credit: Daniel Christensen via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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