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Ground Transportation

Instructional content for this group of programs is defined in codes 49.0202 - 49.0299.

Types of Degrees Ground Transportation Majors Are Earning

Those studying Ground Transportation may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	906
Associate’s Degree	100
Master’s Degree	12,042

What Ground Transportation Majors Need to Know

Programs in Ground Transportation emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Ground Transportation graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Ground Transportation emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Public Safety and Security — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Transportation — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Mechanical — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Ground Transportation program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Operation and Control — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Ground Transportation careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Control Precision — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Far Vision — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Multilimb Coordination — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Ground Transportation graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.2 / 7
Getting Information	4.2 / 7
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.9 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.9 / 7
Controlling Machines and Processes	3.8 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.7 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	3.6 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Ground Transportation professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
Global positioning system GPS software	Mobile location based services software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
AOL MapQuest	Map creation software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Softrail AEI Automatic Yard Tracking System	Industrial control software	—
Softrail AEI Rail & Road Manager	Inventory management software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Ground Transportation graduates include:

• Bus Driver
• Train Operator
• Vehicle Operator
• Equipment Operator
• Car Barn Laborer
• Trackmobile Operator
• Motor Coach Driver
• Motor Coach Operator
• Transit Operator
• Carman
• Transfer Car Operator
• Car Runner
• Driver
• Van Driver
• Lever Operator

What Can You Do With a Ground Transportation Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Ground Transportation commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Logging Equipment Operators	-4.2%	$36,164	$29,281–$43,048

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Ground Transportation graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	68.6%
Less than a high school diploma	12.4%
Postsecondary certificate	9.7%
Some college courses	6.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.6%
Bachelor’s degree	0.9%
Master’s degree	0.1%
Doctoral degree	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Ground Transportation?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 86.9% of Ground Transportation degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	3,001	13.1%
Men	19,967	86.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Ground Transportation graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	9,041	39.4%
Asian	182	0.8%
Hispanic or Latino	3,670	16.0%
Black or African American	8,035	35.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native	441	1.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	44	0.2%
Two or More Races	506	2.2%
Race Unknown	1,002	4.4%
International Students	47	0.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Ground Transportation Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Ground Transportation graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$43,832
4 years	$42,430
5 years	$45,687

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $45,687 — roughly 4% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Ground Transportation Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Ground Transportation graduates earn a median of $42,430 four years after completion — roughly 12% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Transportation Materials Handling	35,230
Air Transportation	11,070
Marine Transportation	1,158
Transportation and Materials Moving, Other	34

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.