Transportation Engineers
Machines can already do 42% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 71%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Transportation Engineers in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 42% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 1% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2029, and 71% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 367,840 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $100,840 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 74% for contact with people.
- Also called: Engineer, Project Engineer, Rail Engineer, Roadway Designer.
- Competency here means how well the best AI model, tool or robot available can do a task, scored out of 100: today using the best available now, and for later years the 311 prediction of what AI and robots will be able to do.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 18% | 50% to 85% | |
| Check construction plans, design calculations, or cost estimations to ensure completeness, accuracy, or conformity to engineering standards or practices | 11% | 60% to 90% | |
| Plan alteration or modification of existing transportation structures to improve safety or function | 8% | 40% to 75% | |
| Confer with contractors, utility companies, or government agencies to discuss plans, specifications, or work schedules | 8% | 30% to 54% | |
| Investigate traffic problems and recommend methods to improve traffic flow or safety | 7% | 35% to 58% | |
| Prepare administrative, technical, or statistical reports on traffic-operation matters, such as accidents, safety measures, or pedestrian volume or practices | 5% | 70% to 95% | |
| Prepare final project layout drawings that include details such as stress calculations | 5% | 35% to 65% | |
| Estimate transportation project costs | 4% | 50% to 85% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills transportation engineers use most, most used first.
Human value: what makes people in this job hard to replace
How much transportation engineers rely on each one, from 0 to 10. 311 estimates, medium confidence.
- Go-to problem solver8/10
- Trust and reliability8/10
- Know-how about the organisation6/10
- Network and relationships5/10
- Mentoring and developing others2/10
- Culture and morale5/10
- Initiative beyond the role6/10
- Calm in a crisis6/10
- Bridge between teams7/10
- Reputation and influence4/10
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Surveyors65% of tasks by 2035 · US median $75,440
- Environmental Engineers67% of tasks by 2035 · US median $107,110
- Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians63% of tasks by 2035 · US median $64,950
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval68% of tasks by 2035 · US median $99,280
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Transportation Engineers?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2029. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of transportation engineers?
Machines can do 42% of the tasks of transportation engineers today and 71% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 17-2051.01 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring, forecast and human value: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit (human value scores are 311 estimates, medium confidence); after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Transportation Engineers: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/transportation-engineers/