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Transportation Engineer

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What is a Transportation Engineer?

Transportation Engineer Example Develop plans for surface transportation projects, according to established engineering standards and state or federal construction policy. Prepare designs, specifications, or estimates for transportation facilities. Plan modifications of existing streets, highways, or freeways to improve traffic flow.

Transportation Engineer Responsibilities

  • Investigate traffic problems and recommend methods to improve traffic flow or safety.
  • Plan alteration or modification of existing transportation structures to improve safety or function.
  • Evaluate traffic control devices or lighting systems to determine need for modification or expansion.
  • Evaluate construction project materials for compliance with environmental standards.
  • Model transportation scenarios to evaluate the impacts of activities such as new development or to identify possible solutions to transportation problems.
  • Check construction plans, design calculations, or cost estimations to ensure completeness, accuracy, or conformity to engineering standards or practices.

What a Transportation Engineer Should Know

Below is a list of the skills most Transportation Engineers say are important on the job.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

  • Design Manager
  • Rail Engineer
  • Transportation Planning Engineer
  • Transportation Engineer
  • Highway Engineer

Job Demand for Transportation Engineers

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 303,500 jobs in the United States for Transportation Engineer. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 10.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 32,200 new jobs for Transportation Engineer by 2026. The BLS estimates 25,900 yearly job openings in this field.

Forecasted Number of Jobs for Transportation Engineers in U.S.

The states with the most job growth for Transportation Engineer are Utah, Tennessee, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Alaska, Mississippi, or Maine. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Transportation Engineer Average Salary

The typical yearly salary for Transportation Engineers is somewhere between $54,780 and $142,560.

Salary Ranges for Transportation Engineers

Transportation Engineers who work in Alaska, California, or New Jersey, make the highest salaries.

How much do Transportation Engineers make in each U.S. state?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $84,320
Alaska $125,470
Arizona $84,770
Arkansas $81,780
California $109,680
Colorado $93,560
Connecticut $93,630
Delaware $91,410
District of Columbia $99,820
Florida $89,480
Georgia $81,110
Hawaii $86,680
Idaho $78,280
Illinois $94,570
Indiana $82,420
Iowa $83,940
Kansas $82,340
Kentucky $82,840
Louisiana $98,700
Maine $82,160
Maryland $86,110
Massachusetts $94,210
Michigan $82,240
Minnesota $90,760
Mississippi $85,880
Missouri $86,710
Montana $77,480
Nebraska $84,240
Nevada $100,700
New Hampshire $83,970
New Jersey $103,760
New Mexico $88,840
New York $102,250
North Carolina $86,270
North Dakota $83,460
Ohio $82,180
Oklahoma $91,090
Oregon $88,270
Pennsylvania $88,740
Rhode Island $87,220
South Carolina $84,660
South Dakota $77,030
Tennessee $93,810
Texas $102,990
Utah $80,690
Vermont $74,960
Virginia $94,780
Washington $93,120
West Virginia $82,210
Wisconsin $78,660
Wyoming $85,220

Tools & Technologies Used by Transportation Engineers

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Transportation Engineers may use on a daily basis:

Becoming a Transportation Engineer

What education or degrees do I need to become a Transportation Engineer?

Transportation Engineer Degree Level

How Long Does it Take to Become a Transportation Engineer?

Transportation Engineer Work Experience

Who Employs Transportation Engineers?

Transportation Engineer Sectors

The table below shows the approximate number of Transportation Engineers employed by various industries.

Transportation Engineer Industries

Those thinking about becoming a Transportation Engineer might also be interested in the following careers:

References:

Image Credit: Daniel Christensen via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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