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Careers›Roles›Transportation Planner
Mid-Level

Transportation Planner

How a city moves, by car, bus, bike, or foot, gets decided years ahead by planning, and studying travel patterns to shape future roads and transit is your work. Where data and policy shape how we get around.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
I
C
E
R
A
S
Investigativeanalytical, curious
Conventionalorganizing, detail-oriented
Based on Holland Code framework
Industries that often hire Transportation Planners
Administrative ServicesGovernment · 67%Professional Services · 13%Education · 12%Healthcare · 1%Consumer Services · 1%
Job markets for Transportation Planners
Employment concentration · ~122 areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
Science
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
Jump to:What it's likeCareer pathsBy the numbers
What it's like

What it's like to be a Transportation Planner

The work blends analysis, planning, and public process: studying travel data and patterns, modeling future needs, and developing transportation plans and projects. You work with engineers, agencies, and the public, and plans play out over years, even decades. Much of the job is balancing competing needs and limited budgets against what a community will actually accept.

What's harder than the modeling is the politics and the public input: transportation touches everyone, and plans face strong opinions and slow approvals. Funding shapes what's possible, and priorities shift with leadership. The work spans government, consulting, and transit agencies, each with its own constraints and pace to navigate.

It fits someone analytical, patient, and motivated by long-term public impact. If you need fast results or hate bureaucracy and meetings, the slow pace can wear. But if you like shaping how a whole region moves, and seeing a project you planned years ago finally open, the work tends to be quietly meaningful, project after project.

What people in this role value
AchievementAbove avg
IndependenceModerate
Working ConditionsModerate
RecognitionModerate
RelationshipsModerate
SupportLower
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns
Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

Earning potential across this track
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
Professional Services$92K+15%
Technology & Information$91K+13%
Energy & Utilities$82K+2%
Financial Services$81K+2%
Wholesale & Distribution$79K-1%
Compared to Science average across all industries
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Transportation Planners (SOC 19-3099.01), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Related rolesExplore Science →
Transportation PlannerTransportation Design EngineerTransportation AnalystTransportation ConsultantTransportation SpecialistTransportation Technician (Transportation Tech)Program OfficerFleet CoordinatorTransportation ModelerTransportation Data Programs ManagerTransportation Operations SpecialistAirway Transportation Systems Specialist (ATSS)
Exploring the Transportation Planner career path? Truest helps you figure out if it's the right fit — and plan your path forward.
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✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$63K–$161K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
37K
U.S. Employment
-1.7%
10yr Growth
3K
Annual Openings

How this category is changing

$77K$74K$71K$68K$65K201920202021202220232024$65K$77K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingSpeakingWritingJudgment and Decision MakingActive LearningSystems EvaluationCoordination
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
Mapped SOC Codes
19-3099.01

Explore related roles

Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths

midTransportation Design Engineer$101KmidTransportation Analyst$85KmidTransportation Consultant$100KseniorSenior Transportation Analyst$85KmidTransportation Specialist$93KseniorSenior Transportation Specialist$93K
View all Science roles →

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Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.