Urban Transportation Planner Overview

Required Education and Training To Become an Urban Transportation Planner

Best Schools to become a Urban Transportation Planner in U.S. 2024

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA

In-State Tuition:$63,468
Out-of-State Tuition:$63,468
Admission Rate:12%
Graduation Rate:92%
Total Enrollment:48,945

CUNY Hunter College

New York, NY

In-State Tuition:$6,930
Out-of-State Tuition:$14,880
Admission Rate:48%
Graduation Rate:56%
Total Enrollment:22,970

University of California-Irvine

Irvine, CA

In-State Tuition:$11,564
Out-of-State Tuition:$41,636
Admission Rate:21%
Graduation Rate:87%
Total Enrollment:35,937

CUNY Queens College

Queens, NY

In-State Tuition:$6,930
Out-of-State Tuition:$14,880
Admission Rate:69%
Graduation Rate:56%
Total Enrollment:17,001

Virginia Commonwealth University

Richmond, VA

In-State Tuition:$12,472
Out-of-State Tuition:$33,728
Admission Rate:91%
Graduation Rate:65%
Total Enrollment:28,082

University of Nevada-Las Vegas

Las Vegas, NV

In-State Tuition:$8,159
Out-of-State Tuition:$24,701
Admission Rate:85%
Graduation Rate:47%
Total Enrollment:30,660
Urban Transportation Planner Job Description:
  • Develop plans for surface transportation projects, according to established engineering standards and state or federal construction policy.
  • Prepare designs, specifications, or estimates for transportation facilities.
  • Plan modifications of existing streets, highways, or freeways to improve traffic flow.

Required Skills and Competencies To Become an Urban Transportation Planner

Job Duties for Urban Transportation Planners

  • Check construction plans, design calculations, or cost estimations to ensure completeness, accuracy, or conformity to engineering standards or practices.

  • Design or prepare plans for new transportation systems or parts of systems, such as airports, commuter trains, highways, streets, bridges, drainage structures, or roadway lighting.

  • Prepare administrative, technical, or statistical reports on traffic-operation matters, such as accidents, safety measures, or pedestrian volume or practices.

Technologies and Skills Used by Urban Transportation Planners

Analytical or scientific software

  • Citilabs Cube
  • Trafficware SynchroGreen

Computer aided design CAD software

  • Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D
  • Bentley MicroStation

Presentation software

  • Microsoft PowerPoint

Basic Skills

  • Reading work related information
  • Talking to others

People and Technology Systems

  • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one

Problem Solving

  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Current Job Market and Opportunites for an Urban Transportation Planner

Additional Resources To Help You Become an Urban Transportation Planner

FAQs About Becoming an Urban Transportation Planner