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.
Typical starting pay soon after graduation.
Estimated after a decade of experience.
Seasoned professionals at ~20 years.
CAGR (compound annual growth rate) summarizes average yearly change across the observed period.
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.
Data from Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024) • Median wages, employment, and growth projections
| Occupation | Median Wage | Total Jobs | Growth Rate | Education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers SOC: 53-4022 Occupation: Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers | $65,480 | 12,460 | N/A | N/A |
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters SOC: 53-4031 Occupation: Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters | $74,080 | 42,710 | N/A | N/A |
Light Truck Drivers SOC: 53-3033 Occupation: Light Truck Drivers | $44,140 | 994,410 | 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 |
Crane and Tower Operators SOC: 53-7021 Occupation: Crane and Tower Operators | $66,370 | 42,000 | N/A | N/A |
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators SOC: 47-4061 Occupation: Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators | $67,370 | 16,480 | N/A | N/A |
Historical data from Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020-2024) • Salary trends and employment growth over 5 years
| Year | Median Wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $65,480 | 12,460 |
| 2023 | $63,540 | 13,610 |
| 2022 | $67,540 | 14,210 |
| 2021 | $63,840 | 16,200 |
| 2020 | $57,870 | 14,630 |
| Year | Median Wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $74,080 | 42,710 |
| 2023 | $71,130 | 46,490 |
| 2022 | $68,180 | 40,940 |
| 2021 | $63,960 | 48,030 |
| 2020 | $64,030 | 44,920 |
| Year | Median Wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $44,140 | 994,410 |
| 2023 | $42,470 | 1,003,960 |
| 2022 | $40,410 | 1,059,840 |
| 2021 | $38,280 | 1,010,040 |
| 2020 | $37,050 | 929,470 |
| Year | Median Wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $51,650 | 45,680 |
| 2023 | $48,980 | 43,080 |
| 2022 | $47,270 | 41,470 |
| 2021 | $46,960 | 44,200 |
| 2020 | $41,540 | 44,560 |
| Year | Median Wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $66,370 | 42,000 |
| 2023 | $64,690 | 42,260 |
| 2022 | $61,340 | 45,210 |
| 2021 | $62,240 | 43,400 |
| 2020 | $59,710 | 44,060 |
| Year | Median Wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $67,370 | 16,480 |
| 2023 | $67,000 | 18,770 |
| 2022 | $63,230 | 18,600 |
| 2021 | $61,690 | 21,030 |
| 2020 | $56,370 | 17,590 |
| Year | Median Wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $49,210 | 22,520 |
| 2023 | $48,240 | 23,720 |
| 2022 | $46,400 | 24,780 |
| 2021 | $46,400 | 25,510 |
| 2020 | $43,210 | 25,560 |
| Year | Median Wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $58,710 | 469,270 |
| 2023 | $56,160 | 450,370 |
| 2022 | $51,430 | 423,040 |
| 2021 | $48,360 | 404,820 |
| 2020 | $49,770 | 402,870 |
| Year | Median Wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $57,440 | 2,070,480 |
| 2023 | $54,320 | 2,044,400 |
| 2022 | $49,920 | 1,984,180 |
| 2021 | $48,310 | 1,903,420 |
| 2020 | $47,130 | 1,797,710 |
| Year | Median Wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $47,040 | 387,920 |
| 2023 | $45,660 | 371,530 |
| 2022 | $41,270 | 366,550 |
| 2021 | $37,910 | 361,420 |