Transportation Planners

Transportation planners will have good employment opportunities in the years to come. Faster than average employment growth is expected for life, physical, and social science occupations, including transportation planning. The Department of Labor projects 5 percent employment growth, which is faster than the average, through 2029. Urban and regional planners will have 11 percent employment growth, much faster than the average, in this same time frame. As the population continues to grow, new and improved transportation systems will be needed to keep people, goods, and resources moving efficiently and safely while reducing the negative effects on local communities and the environment. The coronavirus pandemic has caused lockdowns and business closures in 2020, at times reducing the numbers of moving vehicles on roadways while increasing the numbers of people outside. Towns and cities will need transportation workers to help develop and/or improve public spaces and roadways where people can move safely. Local, city, and state government groups will continue to need transportation planners to analyze sites and transportation projects, assess the impacts on the environment, and determine measures for mitigation. Transportation planners with a master's degree, professional certification, strong technology skills, and several years of work experience will have an advantage in the job market.