Ground Transportation Major Guide: Overview and RoEDU™ Opportunities 2025

The Ground Transportation major builds core foundations in this discipline and prepares students with practical, career-relevant skills. Use RoEDU™ to find programs that match your goals.

Within Transportation, students often explore key subfields and specializations that provide targeted expertise.

Graduates translate classroom knowledge into real-world impact across sectors through hands-on projects and internships.

As part of Transportation, this major connects to diverse, high-demand fields and interdisciplinary pathways.

Salary Outlook

Entry-level salary
$46,141

Typical starting pay soon after graduation.

Mid-career salary (10y)
$72,952

Estimated after a decade of experience.

Experienced salary (20y)
$98,041

Seasoned professionals at ~20 years.

Weighted median over last 5 years
CAGR 4.8%

CAGR (compound annual growth rate) summarizes average yearly change across the observed period.

Estimated lifetime earnings

40 years, present value
$1,845,640

Employment-weighted across mapped SOCs; entry ≈ 85% of median; historical CAGR shown for last 5y; projections capped at 3% CAGR; lifetime is 40-year present value at 3% discount.

Career Opportunities & Salaries

Data from Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024) • Median wages, employment, and growth projections

OccupationMedian WageTotal JobsGrowth RateEducation
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary
SOC: 25-1194
Occupation: Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary
$61,490
111,150
N/A
N/A
Logging Equipment Operators
SOC: 45-4022
Occupation: Logging Equipment Operators
$49,210
22,520
N/A
N/A
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
SOC: 47-2071
Occupation: Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
$51,650
45,680
N/A
N/A
Pile Driver Operators
SOC: 47-2072
Occupation: Pile Driver Operators
$70,510
3,040
N/A
N/A
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
SOC: 47-2073
Occupation: Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
$58,710
469,270
N/A
N/A
Highway Maintenance Workers
SOC: 47-4051
Occupation: Highway Maintenance Workers
$49,070
151,750
N/A
N/A

Historical Career Trends (2020-2024)

Historical data from Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020-2024) • Salary trends and employment growth over 5 years

Logging Equipment Operators

13.9%
5-Year Growth
YearMedian WageEmployment
2024$49,21022,520
2023$48,24023,720
2022$46,40024,780
2021$46,40025,510
2020$43,21025,560

Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

24.3%
5-Year Growth
YearMedian WageEmployment
2024$51,65045,680
2023$48,98043,080
2022$47,27041,470
2021$46,96044,200
2020$41,54044,560

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

18.0%
5-Year Growth
YearMedian WageEmployment
2024$58,710469,270
2023$56,160450,370
2022$51,430423,040
2021$48,360404,820
2020$49,770402,870

Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators

19.5%
5-Year Growth
YearMedian WageEmployment
2024$67,37016,480
2023$67,00018,770
2022$63,23018,600
2021$61,69021,030
2020$56,37017,590

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

21.9%
5-Year Growth
YearMedian WageEmployment
2024$57,4402,070,480
2023$54,3202,044,400
2022$49,9201,984,180
2021$48,3101,903,420
2020$47,1301,797,710

Light Truck Drivers

19.1%
5-Year Growth
YearMedian WageEmployment
2024$44,140994,410
2023$42,4701,003,960
2022$40,4101,059,840
2021$38,2801,010,040
2020$37,050929,470

Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers

13.2%
5-Year Growth
YearMedian WageEmployment
2024$65,48012,460
2023$63,54013,610
2022$67,54014,210
2021$63,84016,200
2020$57,87014,630

Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters

15.7%
5-Year Growth
YearMedian WageEmployment
2024$74,08042,710
2023$71,13046,490
2022$68,18040,940
2021$63,96048,030
2020$64,03044,920

Crane and Tower Operators

11.2%
5-Year Growth
YearMedian WageEmployment
2024$66,37042,000
2023$64,69042,260
2022$61,34045,210
2021$62,24043,400
2020$59,71044,060

Colleges offering Ground Transportation

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

RoEdu™

999

Net Price

$23k

Earnings

$71k

South Seattle College

RoEdu™

959

Net Price

$9k

Earnings

$55k

Pennsylvania College of Technology

RoEdu™

922

Net Price

$25k

Earnings

$58k

Utah State University

RoEdu™

843

Net Price

$16k

Earnings

$51k

Columbia Basin College

RoEdu™

800

Net Price

$11k

Earnings

$49k

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