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2023 Ground Transportation Degree Guide

Are you interested in driving vehicles and transporting material goods or people? Do you want to drive large construction vehicles or small commercial trucks? A major in ground transportation may be a good fit for you. This wide-reaching field can lead to a number of different career options.

The transportation field offers careers in busing and public transportation, commercial trucking and heavy machine operation. You could be anything from a long distance truck driver to working heavy machines on a construction site.

Approximately 10 million people work in the ground transportation industry, and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, many transportation-related careers will see average growth over the next ten years.

When it comes to education, the required skills and education will vary with position, but for most heavy vehicles you will need a commercial driver's license. If you will be transporting hazardous materials, a Hazmat certification will also be needed. Vocational schools offering degrees in ground transportation will teach you about transportation-related rules and regulations, machine operation and safety. They may also receive instruction in basic land surveying techniques and how to work from plans and marking stakes. More advanced degrees will delve into the areas of supply chains and logistics.

A Recent Jump in Ground Transportation Degrees

#330 Most Popular Major
17.9k Degrees Awarded
5.6% Increase in Graduates

Ground Transportation was the 330th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 17,893 degrees in this year alone. This is a difference of 996 over the prior year, a growth of 5.6%.

This year's Best Ground Transportation Schools ranking compares 1 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom ground transport rankings further below.

2023 Best Colleges for Ground Transportation
2023 Overall Best Ground Transportation Colleges >

Best Ground Transportation Schools by Degree

Associate Degrees in Ground Transportation

Ground Transportation Degree Requirements

Besides educational requirements, you will also need a number of other skills to ensure public safety.

You will need to be in good health and free of conditions that could cause you to lose consciousness or other impairment. You must also have good hand-eye coordination and decent eyesight and hearing - all important traits for working in transportation.

If you plan to work in the public arena, you will also want to have good customer service and interpersonal skills.

Getting Accepted Into a Ground Transportation Program

New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. In addition to these basic ground transportation program qualifications, to serve in some ground transport careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.

Ground Transportation Degree Types

There are many different ground transport degree levels. Ground Transportation programs offered by schools range from a to a , which is the highest ground transport degree you can get. How long it takes to complete some common ground transport degree levels is shown below.

Degree Credit Requirements Typical Program Length
Associate Degree 60-70 credits 2 years
Bachelor’s Degree 120 credits 4 years
Master’s Degree 50-70 credits 1-3 years
Doctorate Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation At least 4 years

An associate degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to ground transport, with approximately 2.6% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for ground transport workers below.

Level of Education Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma 62.6%
Post-Secondary Certificate 12.7%
Less than a High School Diploma 12.6%
Some College Courses 5.7%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 3.1%

The chart below shows what degree level those who work in ground transportation have obtained.

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The education level required is different depending on the ground transport career you are seeking.

Ground Transport Careers

Above Average Number of Jobs
$37.9k Average Starting Salary
6% Growth Job Outlook 2016-26

Growth Projected for Ground Transport Careers

Want a job when you graduate with your ground transport degree? Ground Transportation careers are expected to grow 6.3% between 2016 and 2026.

The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to ground transportation.

Occupation Name Projected Jobs Expected Growth
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers 1,980,100 5.8%
Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers 1,015,600 6.5%
Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators 416,900 12.3%
Transportation Supervisors 217,700 6.6%
Highway Maintenance Workers 160,200 6.9%

Ground Transport Degree Salary Potential

Ground Transportation graduates between 2017-2019 reported earning an average of $37,911 in the 2019-2020 timeframe. Earnings can range from as low as $21,102 to as high as $84,632. As you might expect, salaries for ground transport graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.

High Paying Careers for Ground Transport Majors

Salaries for ground transportation graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers ground transport grads often go into.

Occupation Name Median Average Salary
Locomotive Firers $69,030
Locomotive Engineers $66,920
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters $66,080
Pile-Driver Operators $64,360
Subway and Streetcar Operators $62,970

Getting Your Ground Transportation Degree

With over 371 different ground transport degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased ground transport school rankings to help you with this.

Study Areas in Ground Transportation

Ground Transportation is one of 3 different types of Transportation & Materials Moving programs to choose from.

Ground Transport Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Truck & Bus Driver/Commercial Vehicle Operator & Instructor 16,544
Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation 1,132
Other Ground Transportation 115
Railroad & Railway Transportation 102

View All Ground Transport Focus Areas >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Air Transportation 9,984
Marine Transportation 1,203
Other Transportation & Materials Moving 4

View All Ground Transport Related Majors >

References

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