Transportation Planner: career path and pay in the US
Where a Transportation Planner goes next, what each step typically pays in the United States, and how exposed the path is to AI replacement. 4 steps, from Transportation Planner to Director of Transportation Planning / VP of Transportation.
Also for the United Kingdom: Transportation Planner in the UK
The path
Step 1 · 0 to 3 years
Transportation Planner
$55K to $85K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Transportation Planning Certification (optional) - Global, Logistics Certification (optional) - Global.
Step 2 · 3 to 7 years
Senior Transportation Planner
$75K to $110K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Transportation Planning Certification - Global, Logistics Certification - Global, Project Management Certification (optional) - Global.
Step 3 · 7 to 12 years
Transportation Planning Manager / Senior Planner
$85K to $125K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Transportation Planning Certification - Global, Logistics Certification - Global, Project Management Certification - Global, MBA (optional) - Global.
Step 4 · 12+ years
Director of Transportation Planning / VP of Transportation
$140K to $205K
Typical US pay for this job title, retrieved September 2026.
What this step adds
Credentials that help: Transportation Planning Certification - Global, Logistics Certification - Global, Project Management Certification - Global, MBA (preferred) - Global.
Exposure and pay along the path
Exposure to AI, now to later
52% → 24%
Falls 28 points. Each step is harder to automate than the last. Lower is better.
Typical pay, now to later
$55K to $85K → $140K to $205K
US estimates by job title, Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale US.
What the work involves
Develop comprehensive plans and programs for use of land and physical facilities of jurisdictions, such as towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Active Learning
Knowledge areas
- Law and Government
- English Language
- Geography
- Transportation
- Communications and Media
- Administration and Management
Education people bring
- Master's Degree: 56%
- Bachelor's Degree: 40%
- First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.: 4%
Job Zone 5, job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Other paths from here
- Transportation Manager
- Operations Manager
- Urban Planner
- Logistics Director
More Transportation/Logistics paths in the US
Related occupations in O*NET: Transportation Planners, Project Management Specialists, Chief Sustainability Officers, Sustainability Specialists, Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers.
Your own role
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SourcesSalary bands: Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale US, US national averages by job title, retrieved September 2026Skills, knowledge and education: O*NET 31.0 Database
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CC BY 4.0
Salary estimates by job title from Glassdoor, Indeed and PayScale, retrieved September 2026. Each band runs from 20% below to 20% above the reported average, rounded to $5K. Exposure percentages and the skills listed under each step are this app's own editorial ratings, not published data.