Transportation Engineers in North Carolina
Thinking about a career as a Transportation Engineers in North Carolina? 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 North Carolina?
The transportation engineers working in North Carolina, the typical annual salary is $93,590 per year (or about $45.00/hour).Earnings range from $65,160 at the 10th percentile to $145,010 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $65,160 | $31.33 |
| 25th percentile | $77,410 | $37.22 |
| Median (50th) | $93,590 | $45.00 |
| 75th percentile | $117,620 | $56.55 |
| 90th percentile | $145,010 | $69.72 |
The job concentration index in North Carolina compared to the national average — is 1.12, suggesting 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), below the North Carolina median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 388,857 transportation engineers nationwide. In North Carolina alone, around 12,670 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 4,130 transportation engineers.
Top North Carolina Metros for Transportation Engineers
These are the North Carolina metros with the most transportation engineers in North Carolina.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 4,490 | $98,030 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 3,420 | $100,040 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 690 | $92,670 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 550 | $90,430 |
| Wilmington, NC | 480 | $92,670 |
| Asheville, NC | 370 | $97,570 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | 340 | $83,710 |
| Fayetteville, NC | 250 | $93,340 |
| Greenville, NC | 210 | $91,560 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 120 | $88,530 |
| Jacksonville, NC | 120 | $77,670 |
| Goldsboro, NC | 60 | $77,990 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | 50 | $95,040 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | 50 | $82,750 |
| Burlington, NC | 40 | $91,590 |
Top States for Transportation Engineers Employment
The table below shows the states where the most 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
The most important 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
The abilities that matter most 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
Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD, Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D In-demand technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Several college majors map to this occupation:
- Civil Engineering
- Construction Engineering
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Related Careers
Careers similar 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