Transportation Engineers in Massachusetts
Considering working as a Transportation Engineers in Massachusetts? Below are the key facts. Perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems. Includes architectural, structural, traffic, and geotechnical engineers. Excludes “Hydrologists” (19-2043).
What do Transportation Engineers Make in Massachusetts?
For transportation engineers working in Massachusetts, wages run about $104,450 per year (or about $50.22/hour).Pay can range from $77,880 at the 10th percentile to $167,370 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $77,880 | $37.44 |
| 25th percentile | $83,250 | $40.03 |
| Median (50th) | $104,450 | $50.22 |
| 75th percentile | $130,080 | $62.54 |
| 90th percentile | $167,370 | $80.47 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Massachusetts relative to the national average — is 1.13, indicating that transportation engineers are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, transportation engineers earn a median of $120,210 per year ($57.79/hour), lower than the Massachusetts median.
Employment Outlook
There are roughly 388,857 transportation engineers across the United States. In Massachusetts alone, approximately 9,460 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 4,130 transportation engineers.
Top Massachusetts Metros for Transportation Engineers
The largest metro-area employers of transportation engineers in Massachusetts.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 8,300 | $104,750 |
| Worcester, MA | 560 | $100,220 |
| Springfield, MA | 320 | $98,190 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | 160 | $100,110 |
| Pittsfield, MA | 130 | $99,090 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | 80 | $102,480 |
Top States for Transportation Engineers Employment
These states have the highest employment of transportation engineers work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 54,640 |
| Texas | 33,790 |
| Florida | 22,780 |
| New York | 17,000 |
| Pennsylvania | 14,610 |
| Colorado | 13,510 |
| Illinois | 13,400 |
| North Carolina | 12,670 |
| Washington | 11,900 |
| Virginia | 11,030 |
| Massachusetts | 9,460 |
| Georgia | 8,820 |
| Ohio | 8,520 |
| Michigan | 7,760 |
| South Carolina | 7,460 |
| Wisconsin | 7,050 |
| New Jersey | 6,780 |
| Arizona | 6,270 |
| Alabama | 5,920 |
| Missouri | 5,280 |
Highest-Paying States for Transportation Engineers
These states pay the most for transportation engineers.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $118,450 |
| Rhode Island | $112,250 |
| Alaska | $107,240 |
| Washington | $105,090 |
| New Mexico | $104,600 |
| Massachusetts | $104,450 |
| Mississippi | $103,940 |
| New Jersey | $103,690 |
| Oregon | $103,070 |
| New York | $102,440 |
Skills
Top transportation engineers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Top abilities for transportation engineers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Transportation Engineers typically:
- 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.
- Present data, maps, or other information at construction-related public hearings or meetings.
- Prepare final project layout drawings that include details such as stress calculations.
- Investigate traffic problems and recommend methods to improve traffic flow or safety.
- Estimate transportation project costs.
- Design or engineer drainage, erosion, or sedimentation control systems for transportation projects.
- Evaluate traffic control devices or lighting systems to determine need for modification or expansion.
- Prepare project budgets, schedules, or specifications for labor or materials.
Work Activities
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Working with Computers
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Getting Information
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Processing Information
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Tools & Technology
Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD, Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D In-demand technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Related college programs include:
- Civil Engineering
- Construction Engineering
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Related Careers
Related occupations to transportation engineers include:
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
- Construction Managers
- Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers
- Logistics Engineers
- Project Management Specialists
Also Known As
Airport Engineer, Civil Transportation Engineer, Engineer, Highway Civil Engineer, Highway Engineer, Highway Project Engineer, Project Engineer, Rail Engineer, Road Engineer, Roadway Designer, Roadway Engineer, Roadway Project Engineer, State Roadway Design Engineer, Traffic Engineer, Traffic Operations Engineer.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 17-2051.01