Transportation Engineers

Transportation engineers are expected to have steady employment growth in the coming years. Employment for civil engineers (including those who specialize in traffic engineering) will increase by 6 percent from 2023 through 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. This is faster than the average for all careers. As highways, bridges, roads, dams, and other infrastructures age, transportation engineers will be needed to help improve on transportation systems designs. Cities and towns throughout the U.S. will need transportation engineers to help them create more public spaces. Going forward, transportation engineers who specialize in the construction process will also continue to be in demand. They will be needed to help determine if land needs to be treated before construction can begin, and also to make recommendations for building methods that are most appropriate for the type of soil at the work site.

There are new standards in the civil engineering field, known as the Body of Knowledge, that have become increasingly important in the industry and require advanced education.

In the coming years, more engineers will be needed to work with ITS (Intelligent Transportation System) technology. "ITS technologies have expanded to include a much wider spectrum of innovation, including automation; connectivity; digital infrastructure; sustainable technologies; mobility-on-demand technologies; and emerging transportation technologies like electric vehicle takeoff and landing vehicles, delivery drones, sidewalk robots, and artificial intelligence," according to the Intelligent Transportation Society of America.

Transportation engineers with a graduate degree, professional engineer licensure, and experience working on transportation engineering projects will have an advantage in the job market.