The median pay for Transportation Planners is $101,110 a year ($48.61/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to fall 0.2% through 2035, with about 2,700 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 19-3099
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Transportation Planner in four numbers
- Median pay
- $101,110a year, or $48.61/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $66KTop 10% $160K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -0.2%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−0.2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −0.2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 2,70041,500 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202541.5K
- Projected 203541.4K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 41.5K Projected 2035 41.4K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Bachelor's55%
- Master's45%
Highest education held by transportation planners Segment Value Bachelor's 55% Master's 45%
Also advertised as: Planner, Program Officer, Transportation Analyst, Transportation Data Programs Manager, Transportation Planner.
Pay
How much do Transportation Planners make?
Every transportation planner in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$101,110
Middle half earn $80,860 to $129,960
- 10th
- $66,120
- 25th
- $80,860
- 75th
- $129,960
- 90th
- $160,300
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $66,120 |
| 25th | $80,860 |
| Median | $101,110 |
| 75th | $129,960 |
| 90th | $160,300 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $101,110
- Median hourly wage
- $48.61/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $107,690
- People employed
- 37,100
Versus all US occupations
At $101,110, Transportation Planners earn 98% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $50,130 a year.
Versus life, physical, and social science occupations
Inside the Life, Physical, and Social Science group, where the middle occupation pays $82,220, this is 23% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $160,300 or more while the bottom 10% earn $66,120, a gap of 2.4×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 73% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Virginia pays the most at $140,670, and still leads at $139,134 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Transportation Planners the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Virginia | $140,670 | $139,134 | 3,380 |
| 2Maryland | $131,810 | $125,582 | 2,600 |
| 3District of Columbia | $128,440 | $116,869 | 2,480 |
| 4Massachusetts | $105,640 | $99,889 | 820 |
| 5Colorado | $105,390 | $102,269 | 790 |
| 6New York | $104,770 | $97,080 | 3,410 |
| 7Nebraska | $104,420 | $115,890 | 120 |
| 8Minnesota | $103,330 | $104,775 | 1,000 |
| 9Washington | $102,920 | $96,175 | 1,160 |
| 10Texas | $101,800 | $104,887 | 2,260 |
Job outlook
Is Transportation Planner a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -0.2% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Transportation Planners | −0.2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Transportation Planners to change -0.2% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 100 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 2,700 openings are projected each year, 6.5% of the 41,500 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Transportation Planner
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as transportation planners.
- Bachelor's Degree55%
- Master's Degree45%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 55% |
| Master's Degree | 45% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Transportation Planner 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.
Day-to-day tasks
- Define regional or local transportation planning problems or priorities.
- Prepare reports or recommendations on transportation planning.
- Collaborate with engineers to research, analyze, or resolve complex transportation design issues.
- Recommend transportation system improvements or projects, based on economic, population, land-use, or traffic projections.
- Analyze information related to transportation, such as land use policies, environmental impact of projects, or long-range planning needs.
- Interpret data from traffic modeling software, geographic information systems, or associated databases.
- Design transportation surveys to identify areas of public concern.
- Collaborate with other professionals to develop sustainable transportation strategies at the local, regional, or national level.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes are not usually serious.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Writing4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Active Learning3.8
- Mathematics3.4
- Monitoring3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Writing | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.8 |
| Mathematics | 3.4 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving4.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Systems Evaluation3.8
- Coordination3.6
- Systems Analysis3.5
- Operations Analysis3.3
- Time Management3.3
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.8 |
| Coordination | 3.6 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.5 |
| Operations Analysis | 3.3 |
| Time Management | 3.3 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Geographic information system · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Transportation Planner?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Transportation Planner |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 4 |
| Investigative | 6 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Investigative5.6
- Conventional4.9
- Realistic3.6
- Enterprising3.1
- Artistic2.0
- Social1.8
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Transportation Planner
O*NET related occupations
- Architecture and Engineering
- Life, Physical, and Social Science
- Management
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Manager
$107,230median a year
Most earn $65K to $195K
+6.1%High school - Business and Financial Operations
- Business and Financial Operations
- Transportation and Material Moving
More life, physical, and social science careers
Median annual pay, with transportation planners highlighted
- Industrial-Organizational Psychologist$193,950
- Physicist$172,250
- Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists$103,410
- Transportation Planner$101,110
- Chemist$91,240
- Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Including Health$82,220
- Conservation Scientist$73,010
- Chemical Technician$60,390
- Biological Technician$57,510
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Industrial-Organizational Psychologist | $193,950 |
| Physicist | $172,250 |
| Medical Scientist, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 |
| Transportation Planner | $101,110 |
| Chemist | $91,240 |
| Environmental Scientist and Specialist, Including Health | $82,220 |
| Conservation Scientist | $73,010 |
| Chemical Technician | $60,390 |
| Biological Technician | $57,510 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Transportation Planner appears on
Questions
Transportation Planner: frequently asked questions
How much do Transportation Planners make?
Transportation Planners earn a median of $101,110 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 98% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $48.61/hr. The middle half earn between $80,860 and $129,960. The top 10% earn $160,300 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Transportation Planner?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Transportation Planners, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 55.0% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Transportation Planner a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 0.2% over 2025–2035, a loss of 100 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 2,700 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Transportation Planner do?
Prepare studies for proposed transportation projects. A core O*NET task: define regional or local transportation planning problems or priorities. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Business intelligence and data analysis software, Computer aided design CAD software.
Which states pay Transportation Planners the most?
The highest state medians for Transportation Planners are Virginia ($140,670), Maryland ($131,810), District of Columbia ($128,440) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Transportation Planner?
O*NET scores Transportation Planners highest on the Investigative, Conventional and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, INTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.