by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 485 U.S. colleges awarded 32,604 degrees and certificates in Transportation & Materials Moving. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 39% of graduates. College Factual ranks 364 schools in its 2027 Best Transportation & Materials Moving Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $47,326 one year after completing, rising to $63,600 after four years.
People and goods travel by air, ground, or sea and need trained professionals to build, operate and manage transportation equipment, as well as to plan routes and direct traffic. A program in Transportation and Materials Moving will provide with the technical knowledge and skills needed to operate and maintain these means of transportation.
Two majors associated with this field are Air Transportation and Marine Transportation. Students involved in these majors will learn the historic and present uses for these crafts. Courses in an Air Transportation program include: ground support operations, aviation safety, air traffic control, and federal aviation regulations. Marine Transportation students will take courses in crew supervision, catch identification, safety procedures, decompression systems, and diving safety procedures.
This major is commonly offered as a Bachelor's degree, however depending on which concentration you choose you can receive it as an associate's degree or certification.
A major in Transportation & Materials Moving covers Transportation And Materials Moving. Instructional Programs That Prepare Individuals To Apply Technical Knowledge And Skills To Perform Tasks And Services That Facilitate The Movement Of People Or Materials.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., transportation & materials moving draws strong interest, with 32,604 degrees awarded annually. 485 colleges award transportation & materials moving degrees, an average of 67 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 1,705.
By level, the 32,604 awards include 1,370 certificates, 2,139 associate degrees, 7,510 bachelor’s degrees, 12,669 master’s degrees and 28 doctorates.
Women earned 14% of transportation & materials moving degrees and certificates in the latest year (4,705 of 32,604). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (15,659) and Black or African American (6,877), and international students earned 1,070.
College Factual ranks 364 schools in its 2027 Best Transportation & Materials Moving Schools ranking, including 55 for associate degrees, 80 for bachelor’s degrees and 15 for master’s degrees. It also ranks transportation & materials moving schools within 36 states. In all, 485 colleges offer transportation & materials moving programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Transportation & Materials Moving Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common transportation & materials moving credential is the master’s degree: 12,669 of the 32,604 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to transportation & materials moving call most for Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring and Monitoring, and for knowledge of Transportation, Public Safety and Security and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Problem Sensitivity, Control Precision and Far Vision.
Careers in this field often involve working outdoors lifting heavy materials and braving extreme weather conditions. Students should enjoy working outdoors and possess physical strength and stamina. Working at sea or in the sky can be unpredictable. You will be required to make quick decisions and remain calm under chaotic conditions.
Communication skills are essential to this major, as you will be working directly with others and need to follow directions carefully. If you are a problem solver and are able to make quick decisions, this major is for you. Many programs require or encourage internships to allow students to gain first-hand experience in the field.
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How long a transportation & materials moving degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 1,370 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 2,139 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 7,510 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 12,669 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 28 |
High school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to transportation & materials moving, at 53.1%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 53.1% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 12.3% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 12.2% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 12.1% |
| Some college courses | 6.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.2% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.7% |
| Master’s degree | 0.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
30 occupations are related to Transportation & Materials Moving, with an average median salary of $51,846; the strongest outlook belongs to Airfield Operations Specialists, at 12.9% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Captain, Pilot, Line Pilot and Boat Operator.
Careers in this field involve transportation vehicles and spending time working outdoors. Some jobs in the field of air transportation are: Aircraft Pilot, Air Traffic Controller, Airline Flight Attendant, and Aircraft and Avionics equipment mechanics and technicians. Jobs in the Marine Transportation field are : ship captain, executive officer, engineers and ranking mates, fisher and related fishing worker, fishing operations supervisor, deep-water or scuba diver, or diving instructor. Other positions include warehouse manager, trucking manager, logistics specialist, regional planner and others.
The occupation related to transportation & materials moving with the most projected jobs is Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers, at 1,518,529.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers | 1,518,529 | 10.4% |
| Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs | 1,517,174 | 7.5% |
| Motorboat Operators | 1,512,311 | 3.1% |
| Rail Transportation Workers, All Other | 1,424,783 | 5.9% |
| Subway and Streetcar Operators | 1,309,856 | -4.4% |
| Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters | 1,270,833 | 3.3% |
| Airfield Operations Specialists | 1,262,439 | 12.9% |
| Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity | 1,223,795 | -1.9% |
Transportation & Materials Moving graduates earn a median $47,326 one year after completing their program, $63,600 after four years and $56,938 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $47,326 |
| 4 years | $63,600 |
| 5 years | $56,938 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to transportation & materials moving is Supply Chain Managers, with a median salary of $138,103.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Supply Chain Managers | $138,103 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | $76,615 |
| Extraction Workers, All Other | $76,527 |
| Motorboat Operators | $67,056 |
| Ship Engineers | $67,019 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators | $66,225 |
| Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters | $61,311 |
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $58,648 |
Transportation & Materials Moving includes 4 concentrations that together award 32,604 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Ground Transportation (19,489), Air Transportation (12,000) and Marine Transportation (1,088). Browse the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Ground Transportation | 19,489 |
| Air Transportation | 12,000 |
| Marine Transportation | 1,088 |
| Transportation and Materials Moving, Other | 27 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
