by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Trasportation Engineering covers Transportation And Highway Engineering. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Mathematical And Scientific Principles To The Design, Development And Operational Evaluation Of Total Systems For The Physical Movement Of People, Materials And Information, Including General Network Design And Planning, Facilities Planning, Site Evaluation, Transportation Management Systems, Needs Projections And Analysis, And Analysis Of Costs. Read on to learn the essential details every trasportation engineering major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering trasportation engineering programs.
In the U.S., trasportation engineering is a widely-pursued major, with 127 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Trasportation Engineering Schools ranking analyzes these 15 schools to determine the best overall colleges for trasportation engineering students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of trasportation engineering programs later in this article.
Coursework for Trasportation Engineering build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations trasportation engineering graduates commonly enter.
The skill set developed in a trasportation engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a trasportation engineering major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several trasportation engineering degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 14 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 90 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 23 |
People currently working in careers related to trasportation engineering tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 37.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 26.8% |
| Master’s degree | 12.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 8.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 8.0% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.2% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.1% |
| First professional degree | 1.3% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.2% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in trasportation engineering careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in trasportation engineering can lead to a variety of career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to trasportation engineering.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to trasportation engineering.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,297,204 | -2.0% |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | 440,884 | 8.0% |
| Transportation Engineers | 392,941 | 1.1% |
| Water/Wastewater Engineers | 383,114 | 5.6% |
| Civil Engineers | 278,890 | 11.7% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 207,139 | 9.0% |
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of trasportation engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $71,056 |
| 4 years | $78,886 |
| 5 years | $88,976 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for trasportation engineering graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers trasportation engineering grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Transportation Engineers | $120,210 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $101,277 |
| Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers | $89,263 |
| Water/Wastewater Engineers | $86,573 |
| Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary | $79,889 |
| Civil Engineers | $72,457 |
With 15 different trasportation engineering programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased trasportation engineering school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in trasportation engineering, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Civil Engineering, General | 19,293 |
| Structural Engineering | 338 |
| Civil Engineering, Other | 173 |
| Water Resources Engineering | 53 |
| Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering | 21 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
