Transportation Planners in Iowa
Want to work as a Transportation Planners in Iowa? Here’s what the data says. All social scientists and related workers not listed separately.
What do Transportation Planners Make in Iowa?
The transportation planners working in Iowa, the typical annual salary is $87,590 per year (or roughly $42.11/hour).Annual wages span from $62,980 at the 10th percentile to $132,090 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $62,980 | $30.28 |
| 25th percentile | $72,630 | $34.92 |
| Median (50th) | $87,590 | $42.11 |
| 75th percentile | $104,470 | $50.22 |
| 90th percentile | $132,090 | $63.51 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Iowa compared to the national average — is 0.34, indicating 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 Iowa median.
Employment Outlook
There are roughly 41,813 transportation planners across the United States. In Iowa alone, approximately 130 people work in this role. That’s below the typical state, which employs around 320 transportation planners.
Top Iowa Metros for Transportation Planners
The largest metro-area employers of transportation planners in Iowa.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 50 | $82,830 |
| Iowa City, IA | 40 | $87,970 |
Top States for Transportation Planners Employment
These states have the highest employment of 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
Where transportation planners earn the most: 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
Key transportation planners skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for transportation planners, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Day-to-day, 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?
Several college majors map to this occupation:
- 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