Transportation Planners in California
Thinking about a career as a Transportation Planners in California? Here’s what you need to know. All social scientists and related workers not listed separately.
What do Transportation Planners Make in California?
The transportation planners working in California, the typical annual salary is $101,110 per year (or about $48.61/hour).Earnings range from $66,790 at the 10th percentile to $148,300 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $66,790 | $32.11 |
| 25th percentile | $81,590 | $39.23 |
| Median (50th) | $101,110 | $48.61 |
| 75th percentile | $121,960 | $58.63 |
| 90th percentile | $148,300 | $71.30 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in California compared to the national average — is 0.61, meaning fewer transportation planners per worker than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, transportation planners earn a median of $50,855 per year ($24.45/hour), above the California median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 41,813 transportation planners nationwide. In California alone, approximately 2,650 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 320 transportation planners.
Top California Metros for Transportation Planners
The largest metro-area employers of transportation planners in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 510 | $102,000 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 370 | $102,340 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 360 | $111,440 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 340 | $98,860 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 250 | $100,340 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 140 | $92,790 |
| Fresno, CA | 70 | $87,010 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 70 | $92,640 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 40 | $84,410 |
| Merced, CA | 40 | $108,410 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 30 | $101,870 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 30 | n/a |
| Vallejo, CA | 30 | $93,310 |
Top States for Transportation Planners Employment
The table below shows the states where the most transportation planners work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| Virginia | 4,390 |
| New York | 3,090 |
| District of Columbia | 2,700 |
| California | 2,650 |
| Maryland | 2,520 |
| Texas | 2,480 |
| North Carolina | 1,660 |
| Ohio | 1,560 |
| Florida | 1,560 |
| Georgia | 1,330 |
| Washington | 1,070 |
| Minnesota | 910 |
| Colorado | 790 |
| Pennsylvania | 750 |
| Michigan | 720 |
| Arizona | 700 |
| Illinois | 650 |
| Massachusetts | 430 |
| Louisiana | 410 |
| Kentucky | 370 |
Highest-Paying States for Transportation Planners
These states pay the most for transportation planners.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Virginia | $144,320 |
| Maryland | $129,750 |
| District of Columbia | $122,320 |
| Washington | $107,100 |
| Massachusetts | $104,770 |
| New York | $102,570 |
| Connecticut | $102,150 |
| Hawaii | $102,000 |
| California | $101,110 |
| Colorado | $101,000 |
Skills
Top transportation planners skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Key abilities for transportation planners, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Transportation Planners typically:
- Define regional or local transportation planning problems or priorities.
- Participate in public meetings or hearings to explain planning proposals, to gather feedback from those affected by projects, or to achieve consensus on project designs.
- Prepare reports or recommendations on transportation planning.
- Collaborate with engineers to research, analyze, or resolve complex transportation design issues.
- Recommend transportation system improvements or projects, based on economic, population, land-use, or traffic projections.
- Develop computer models to address transportation planning issues.
- Analyze information related to transportation, such as land use policies, environmental impact of projects, or long-range planning needs.
- Interpret data from traffic modeling software, geographic information systems, or associated databases.
- Design transportation surveys to identify areas of public concern.
- Collaborate with other professionals to develop sustainable transportation strategies at the local, regional, or national level.
- Evaluate transportation project needs or costs.
- Analyze information from traffic counting programs.
Work Activities
- Getting Information
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Working with Computers
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
- Processing Information
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Developing Objectives and Strategies
- Thinking Creatively
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Tools & Technology
Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign In-demand technologies: ESRI ArcGIS software, Geographic information system GIS systems
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Programs that train for this career include:
- General Social Sciences
- Other Social Sciences
- Demography & Population Studies
- Behavioral Science
- Sustainability Science
- Human Biology
- Geography and Environmental Studies
- Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution
- Gerontology
- Multicultural & Diversity Studies
- Cultural Studies & Analysis
- Biopsychology
- Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
- History and Political Science
- Anthrozoology
- Holocaust Studies
- Geoarcheaology
- Linguistics and Anthropology
- Economics and Foreign Language/Literature
- Educational Assessment
- Public Policy
- Bioethics/Medical Ethics
- Child Development & Family Studies
- Linguistics & Literature
- Natural Resource Management
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Related Careers
Related occupations to transportation planners include:
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
- Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers
- Logisticians
- Logistics Engineers
- Logistics Analysts
- Project Management Specialists
Also Known As
Airway Transportation Systems Specialist (ATSS), Fleet Coordinator, Planner, Program Officer, Traffic Analyst, Transit Planner, Transportation Analyst, Transportation Consultant, Transportation Data Programs Manager, Transportation Designer, Transportation Logistics Analyst, Transportation Management Consultant, Transportation Modeler, Transportation Operations Specialist, Transportation Planner.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 19-3099.01
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