Transportation & Materials Moving Major

Transportation and materials moving is a major that typically falls into the Transportation & Materials Moving category.

There are 208 programs available throughout the country that offer an associate’s degree in transportation and materials moving, 155 that offer a bachelor’s degree, and 22 that offer a master’s degree. There are also at least 5 schools in the nation where you can get your doctorate degree in the field.

Who Is Getting a Transportation & Materials Moving Degree?

Transportation and materials moving is the most popular college major in the country. In 2017, roughly students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in the field. This major tends to be male dominated. About 86.9% of recent graduates are men.

Racial Distribution

At the countrywide level, the racial distribution of transportation and materials moving majors is as follows:

• Asian: 4.4%
• Black or African American: 5.6%
• Hispanic or Latino: 8.8%
• White: 64%
• Non-Resident Alien: 8.1%
• Other Races: 9%

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in transportation and materials moving. About 8.1% of those graduating in 2017 were international students. The most popular countries sending transportation and materials moving majors to the U.S. are.

What Will You Learn as a Transportation & Materials Moving Major?

An O*NET survey asked people with careers related to transportation and materials moving to rate how important certain subject areas were to their job. The following are some of the results of that survey. Importance was rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Transportation & Materials Moving Majors

Transportation and materials moving majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

Skills for Transportation & Materials Moving Majors

A major in transportation and materials moving prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

Abilities for Transportation & Materials Moving Majors

As a transportation and materials moving major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

What Can You Do With a Transportation & Materials Moving Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with transportation and materials moving:

Careers Related to Transportation & Materials Moving

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators	12.1%	$39,780
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers	3.5%	$140,340
Logging Equipment Operators	-12.5%	$40,510
Airfield Operations Specialists	9%	$52,200
Vocational Education Professors	1.4%	$53,120
Air Traffic Controllers	3.6%	$124,540
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity	9%	$42,080
Storage and Distribution Managers	6.8%	$94,730
Crane and Tower Operators	8.5%	$54,140
Pile-Driver Operators	13.5%	$58,680

Transportation & Materials Moving Major Salary

Average salaries range from $48,000 to $64,000 for careers related to transportation and materials moving. This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, the typical high school graduate makes between $29,000 and $57,000 a year. The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $44,000 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,000 and $120,000.

The area of the country you choose to work in will also affect your career and salary prospects. Getting a graduate degree may open up more options with higher salary potential.

Amount of Education Required for Transportation & Materials Moving Major Jobs

Some careers associated with transportation and materials moving require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

Find out what the typical degree level is for transportation and materials moving careers below.

Education Levels for Careers Associated With Transportation & Materials Moving

Level of Education	Percentage of Workers
Less Than a High School Diploma	8.8%
High School Diploma or Equivalent	50.2%
Post-Secondary Certificate	16.1%
Some College Courses	6.3%
Associate's Degree or Equivalent	6.1%
Bachelor's Degree	9.6%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate	0.6%
Master's Degree	1.6%
Post-Master's Certificate	0.1%
First Professional Degree	0.1%
Doctoral Degree	0.2%
Post-Doctoral Training	0%

Online Transportation & Materials Moving Programs

There are 155 colleges that offer a bachelor’s degree in transportation and materials moving, with 25 of them offering at least some courses online.

Online learners must listen or watch video lectures, participate in group chats or forums, submit papers and assignments electronically, take tests, and meet deadlines.

Many learners are drawn to online programs due to the ease of use and flexibility. Students should be warned that those who enroll in online programs can take longer to graduate than average and are more likely to drop out.

Is a Transportation & Materials Moving Major Worth It?

The median salary for a transportation and materials moving grad is $57,000 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 46% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $354,600 after 20 years!

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
O*NET Online
Image Credit: Alessandro Aceri via License