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Transportation Planners

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeLower pressure

What they do

Prepare studies for proposed transportation projects. Gather, compile, and analyze data. Study the use and operation of transportation systems. Develop transportation models or simulations.

Kinds of work

  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.

Lower pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $101,110 Median per year · $48.61/hr Most earn $66,120–$160,300

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Review development plans for transportation system effects, infrastructure requirements, or compliance with applicable transportation regulations.
  • Design new or improved transport infrastructure, such as junction improvements, pedestrian projects, bus facilities, or car parking areas.
  • Produce environmental documents, such as environmental assessments or environmental impact statements.
  • Direct urban traffic counting programs.
  • Recommend transportation system improvements or projects, based on economic, population, land-use, or traffic projections.
  • Prepare or review engineering studies or specifications.

Job outlook

United States
About the same number of jobs by 2035, little or no change · about 2,700 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Federal government, excluding postal service51.0%
  • Research and development in the social sciences and humanities7.4%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals5.0%
  • State government, excluding education and hospitals5.0%
  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools4.9%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Transportation Planner is not usually an entry-level job. Most people earn a bachelor's degree first, then spend about 1 to 2 years in an junior planning or analyst role before taking on the full planner title. From high school, expect roughly 5 to 6 years in total.

  1. Bachelor's degree in urban planning, civil engineering, geography, or transportation studies

    4 years

    You learn how cities, roads, and transit work, plus the statistics and mapping skills that planning studies need.

  2. Transportation Planning Assistant

    1-2 years

    You gather traffic counts, compile data, run basic models, and help write project studies while learning how planning decisions are made.

  3. Transportation Planner

    Ongoing

    You prepare studies for proposed transportation projects, analyze how systems are used, and build transportation models or simulations.

Where it can lead

  1. Senior Transportation Planner

    3-5 years of experience first

    You lead larger studies, manage projects and junior staff, and present findings to city or agency leaders. Strong modeling skills and clear writing help you move up.

  2. Transportation Planning Manager

    5+ years of experience first

    You oversee a team of planners, set priorities for projects and budgets, and work with elected officials and the public. It requires proven project leadership and a track record of completed studies.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take math through statistics or calculusStrong math helps you handle the data analysis and modeling that planners use all the time.
  • Join a debate, model UN, or student government clubThese build public speaking and persuasive writing, which you need to explain transportation proposals to the public.
  • Learn basic spreadsheet skillsUsing Excel or Google Sheets to organize and chart data is a useful first step toward planning analysis.
  • Take a geography or civics classThese show how land use, population, and government decisions shape where roads and transit go.
  • Find a summer job or volunteer roleWorking as a store clerk or volunteering with a local group teaches you to track data, meet deadlines, and work with the public.

In college

  • Choose a major in urban planning, civil engineering, or geographyThese majors include the transportation, data, and policy courses that planning employers look for.
  • Take GIS, statistics, and transportation coursesGIS mapping and statistics are everyday tools for planners, and a transportation course speaks directly to this career.
  • Apply for a summer internship with a transportation or planning agencyHands-on experience with real projects is one of the strongest things you can show employers after graduation.
  • Get a campus job tracking data or running a campus surveyWorking with real data and reporting results gives you practical analysis experience to put on your resume.
  • Join a student planning, transportation, or engineering organizationThese groups offer networking, guest speakers, and connections to people already working in the field.

Tips for getting started

  • Learn spreadsheet and GIS mapping software now, since most planning jobs use them every day.
  • Look for internships or part-time work with a city, county, or regional transportation agency to see the work up close and build your resume.
  • Take statistics and data analysis classes early, because modeling and analysis are core parts of this job.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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