Transportation engineers design, plan, and oversee the construction and maintenance of transportation systems like roads, highways, and transit networks. You'll need a bachelor's degree and strong problem-solving skills. The work is technical, in demand, and shapes how people and goods move.
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Transportation engineers design and improve systems that move people and goods. You'll analyze traffic patterns, evaluate safety standards, and work with computers to model designs. You communicate with supervisors, colleagues, and outside organizations like government agencies. The work involves reading technical documents, writing reports, and making decisions about infrastructure projects. You monitor projects to ensure they meet engineering standards and building codes. This is hands-on problem-solving applied to real-world transportation challenges.
Core work activities
Career video courtesy of CareerOneStop.
Transportation Engineers earn a median of $100,840 a year, based on 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and location.
The outlook is strong. Employment is projected to grow 5 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than average for all occupations, with about 23,600 openings a year.
Top skills
Knowledge areas
You'll need a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, transportation engineering, or a related field. Your coursework covers engineering principles, design, mathematics, and transportation systems. During your studies, you'll develop skills in reading comprehension, writing, critical thinking, and active learning. Many programs include internships or project-based work that connects classroom learning to real infrastructure projects. After graduation, you may pursue additional credentials to advance your career and take on leadership roles.
Most transportation engineers start with a bachelor's degree, though some explore related paths first. If you're deciding where to begin, Pathly can map the transportation engineer path that fits you and work through it with your counselor to find the right starting point for your situation.
Many transportation engineers must be licensed, and professional certifications can strengthen your resume.
Common certifications
Licensing is handled at the state level and the requirements vary, so check the licensing board in your state. Pathly shows your state's specific steps inside your roadmap.
You're drawn to practical, hands-on problem-solving. You enjoy working with systems and technology, and you want to see the real-world impact of your work on infrastructure and communities.
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Last updated July 1, 2026.
Data sources. Career details from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Salary and outlook figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 wages; 2024–2034 projections), delivered via the CareerOneStop API. Certification, licensing, wage, and outlook data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).