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Transportation Engineers in Michigan

Transportation Engineers in Michigan

Want to work as a Transportation Engineers in Michigan? Here’s what the data says. 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 Michigan?

For transportation engineers working in Michigan, the typical annual salary is $85,550 per year (or about $41.13/hour).Pay can range from $62,870 at the 10th percentile to $132,360 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic Annual Hourly
10th percentile $62,870 $30.22
25th percentile $72,210 $34.72
Median (50th) $85,550 $41.13
75th percentile $106,770 $51.33
90th percentile $132,360 $63.64
Salary ranges for Transportation Engineers in Michigan

The job concentration index in Michigan compared to the national average — is 0.77, suggesting fewer transportation engineers per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, transportation engineers earn a median of $120,210 per year ($57.79/hour), below the Michigan median.

Transportation Engineers earnings in Michigan vs. the national average

Employment Outlook

National employment for 388,857 transportation engineers nationwide. In Michigan alone, about 7,760 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 4,130 transportation engineers.

Transportation Engineers in Michigan vs. the average state Forecasted number of jobs for Transportation Engineers

Top Michigan Metros for Transportation Engineers

The largest metro-area employers of transportation engineers in Michigan.

Metro Area Number Employed Annual Median Salary
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 4,080 $85,690
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI 700 $85,080
Lansing-East Lansing, MI 690 $92,680
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 220 $89,850
Ann Arbor, MI 210 $91,650
Flint, MI 180 $78,870
Saginaw, MI 170 $78,300
Jackson, MI 90 $104,000
Traverse City, MI 80 $93,720
Bay City, MI 70 $99,300
Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI 70 $83,530
Niles, MI 60 $92,540
Battle Creek, MI 50 $82,440
Midland, MI 40 $80,960
Monroe, MI 40 $94,200

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

The highest-paying states 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

The most important transportation engineers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Speaking  4.0 / 5
0
5
Writing  4.0 / 5
0
5
Reading Comprehension  4.0 / 5
0
5
Critical Thinking  4.0 / 5
0
5
Mathematics  3.9 / 5
0
5
Time Management  3.9 / 5
0
5

Knowledge Areas

Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Engineering and Technology  4.9 / 5
0
5
Design  4.8 / 5
0
5
Transportation  4.5 / 5
0
5
Building and Construction  4.2 / 5
0
5
Mathematics  4.2 / 5
0
5
English Language  3.7 / 5
0
5

Abilities

The abilities that matter most for transportation engineers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Written Comprehension  4.0 / 5
0
5
Written Expression  4.0 / 5
0
5
Problem Sensitivity  4.0 / 5
0
5
Oral Expression  4.0 / 5
0
5
Inductive Reasoning  4.0 / 5
0
5
Deductive Reasoning  4.0 / 5
0
5

Daily Tasks

Common tasks include:

  • 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

Careers similar to transportation engineers include:

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

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