Transportation Consultants: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of transportation consultants about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for transportation consultants to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of transportation consultants expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for transportation consultants.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Transportation Consultants?
Do transportation consultants need a degree? What kind of experience do transportation consultants typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for transportation consultants to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Transportation Consultants
Jobs Postings for Transportation Consultants By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 9,825 (44%)
- Master's degree: 5,485 (25%)
- No Education Listed: 3,076 (14%)
- High School or GED: 2,181 (10%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 1,655 (7%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of transportation consultants. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 44% of positions. In 25% of job listings a master's degree was required and in 14% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Transportation Consultants
Jobs Postings for Transportation Consultants By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 2,143 (20%)
- 2-3 Years: 3,823 (36%)
- 4-6 Years: 3,166 (30%)
- 7-9 Years: 680 (6%)
- 10+ Years: 784 (7%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for transportation consultants. In 36% of job postings for Transportation Consultants, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 30% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 20% of job postings for transportation consultants.
What Kind of Degree Do Transportation Consultants Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for transportation consultants, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 21 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective transportation consultants, and in 2021 a total of 52,188 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective transportation consultants.
Top Degree Programs for Transportation Consultants
Top 5 Degree Programs for Transportation Consultants (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Humanities/Humanistic Studies. | 22,283 |
| Social Sciences, General. | 18,699 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,169 |
| Social Sciences, Other. | 2,381 |
| Learning Sciences. | 1,541 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Humanities/Humanistic Studies. | 22,283 |
| Social Sciences, General. | 18,699 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,169 |
| Social Sciences, Other. | 2,381 |
| Learning Sciences. | 1,541 |
| Gerontology. | 1,176 |
| Health Policy Analysis. | 318 |
| Adult Development and Aging. | 299 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services, Other. | 286 |
| Medical/Health Humanities. | 281 |
| Research Methodology and Quantitative Methods. | 235 |
| Public Policy Analysis, Other. | 114 |
| Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. | 97 |
| Education Policy Analysis. | 86 |
| Demography and Population Studies. | 77 |
| History and Political Science. | 66 |
| Geography and Environmental Studies. | 40 |
| Energy and Environmental Policy. | 17 |
| Anthrozoology. | 13 |
| Applied Demography. | 6 |
| Linguistics and Anthropology. | 4 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Transportation Consultants
Identify opportunities to improve the quality of life for people with a customizable major intended to help you achieve your career goals.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
What Skills Do Transportation Consultants Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by transportation consultants to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for transportation consultants, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Transportation Consultants
Based on 16,545 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Transportation Consultants
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | 5,204 | 31% |
| Data Analysis | 3,447 | 21% |
| Project Management | 3,144 | 19% |
| Transportation Planning | 2,687 | 16% |
| Statistics | 2,631 | 16% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Transportation Consultants
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Research | 8,943 | 54% |
| Communications | 6,706 | 41% |
| Writing | 5,526 | 33% |
| Planning | 4,858 | 29% |
| Management | 4,695 | 28% |
Based on 16,545 job postings related to transportation consultants, economics was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 31% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for data analysis, project management, transportation planning, statistics and data collection were also highly sought.
As for common skills, research was the most desired skill found in job postings for transportation consultants, followed by communications, writing, planning, management and presentations.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | 5,204 | 31% |
| Data Analysis | 3,447 | 21% |
| Project Management | 3,144 | 19% |
| Transportation Planning | 2,687 | 16% |
| Statistics | 2,631 | 16% |
| Data Collection | 2,267 | 14% |
| Finance | 1,986 | 12% |
| R (Programming Language) | 1,952 | 12% |
| Python (Programming Language) | 1,668 | 10% |
| Marketing | 1,663 | 10% |
| Traffic Control | 1,606 | 10% |
| Geographic Information Systems | 1,500 | 9% |
| SAS (Software) | 1,337 | 8% |
| Computer Science | 1,269 | 8% |
| SQL (Programming Language) | 1,268 | 8% |
| Statistical Analysis | 1,253 | 8% |
| Business Development | 1,231 | 7% |
| Public Policies | 1,228 | 7% |
| Stata | 1,157 | 7% |
| Urban Planning | 1,130 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Research | 8,943 | 54% |
| Communications | 6,706 | 41% |
| Writing | 5,526 | 33% |
| Planning | 4,858 | 29% |
| Management | 4,695 | 28% |
| Presentations | 4,219 | 26% |
| Operations | 3,824 | 23% |
| Microsoft Excel | 3,067 | 19% |
| Detail Oriented | 2,612 | 16% |
| Leadership | 2,577 | 16% |
| Coordinating | 2,552 | 15% |
| Problem Solving | 2,369 | 14% |
| Customer Service | 2,256 | 14% |
| Microsoft Office | 2,134 | 13% |
| Mathematics | 2,036 | 12% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 1,888 | 11% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 1,859 | 11% |
| Forecasting | 1,828 | 11% |
| Innovation | 1,671 | 10% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 1,565 | 9% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about transportation consultants? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for transportation consultants.
What do transportation consultants do?
How much do transportation consultants make?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.