Engineers

How to become a Transportation Engineer

Official title: Transportation Engineers

Also called: Engineer, Project Engineer, Rail Engineer, Roadway Designer, Roadway Engineer, State Roadway Design Engineer, Traffic Engineer, Traffic Operations Engineer, Transportation Engineer

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.

Main tasks

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.

How to become one

Civil engineers typically need a bachelor's degree in civil engineering or a related field to enter the occupation. They typically need a state-issued license if they provide services directly to the public.

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

College: Engineering degrees, Offered by 36 universities in the US
Licence: A licence is required in 48 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $100,840 a year The middle half earn $79,930 to $129,680.
About 380,600 people work in this job now, and about 405,100 are projected by 2035. (+6.4%)
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Transportation Engineer?

How much does a Transportation Engineer earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $100,840 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $79,930 to $129,680.

Is a Transportation Engineer a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 6% by 2035, from about 380,600 to about 405,100 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Transportation Engineer?

Usually. 88% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Transportation Engineer?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.