Transportation Engineers
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 Engineers 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. The role reports a median annual salary of $99,590 in the US with the middle 80% earning between $61,040 and $149,970 and is projected to grow 5% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a Bachelor's degree, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.45 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Mathematics.
Salary distribution (US)
Real salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The p10–p90 spread tells you more than the median alone.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £51,366 a year for Civil engineers (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £39,802 to £65,000 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 2121). ONS rates this estimate reasonably precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Transportation Engineers, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
How to get here in India
No single fixed route is listed for this career. These Indian degrees lead to it, according to the US CIP–SOC education-to-occupation crosswalk; open a degree for its entrance exams and colleges.[1]
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Civil Engineering — B.Tech / B.E. in Civil Engineering (four years)
Entrance exams: JEE Main, JEE Advanced, MHT CET, KCET, WBJEE, AP EAPCET, TS EAPCET
Rules change: check the exam body's and regulator's current notice before you apply.
- CIP 2020 – SOC 2018 crosswalk (NCES / BLS) (read on 2026-09-27)
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Engineering and Technology
- Design
- Building and Construction
- Mathematics
- Physics
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Law and Government
What you'd actually do
- 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.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Transportation Engineers do?
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.
How much does Transportation Engineers earn?
The median annual salary for Transportation Engineers in the US is $99,590. The middle 80% of workers earn between $61,040 and $149,970 annually. Entry-to-mid-career earners typically fall between $75,400 and $121,690.
What is the job outlook for Transportation Engineers?
The role is projected to grow 5% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 368,900 workers.
How do I become transportation engineers?
The typical entry education is a Bachelor's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Transportation Engineers need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Mathematics, Judgment and Decision Making. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Transportation Engineers?
Our AI-durability model gives Transportation Engineers a score of 0.45 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Transportation Engineers has moderate barrier to entry — moderately gated — a bachelor's degree or equivalent training is typically required.