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The average salary for a Transit Planner stands at $67,558 per year, translating to about $32 per hour. Factors influencing this salary include geographic location, years of experience, and specialization within the role. For instance, managers or those with advanced degrees may command higher salaries.
Transit Planners in states like California and New York typically earn more than their counterparts in other regions. The cost of living and demand for skilled professionals in urban areas contribute to these differences. For example, a Transit Planner in San Francisco may earn upwards of $80,000, reflecting the city's higher living costs and robust public transportation needs.
Over the past several years, Transit Planner salaries have shown a consistent increase, reflecting the growing importance of public transit in urban planning and environmental sustainability. Job openings in this field are projected to grow as cities invest more in infrastructure improvements.
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The average transit planner salary in California, Massachusetts, and Virginia are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average transit planner salary states are South Dakota, Iowa, and Arkansas.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $92,933 | $44.68 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $90,946 | $43.72 |
| 3 | Virginia | $77,117 | $37.08 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $78,211 | $37.60 |
| 5 | Nevada | $72,280 | $34.75 |
| 6 | New York | $75,830 | $36.46 |
| 7 | Oregon | $75,864 | $36.47 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $73,133 | $35.16 |
| 9 | Vermont | $76,284 | $36.67 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $74,160 | $35.65 |
| 11 | Colorado | $68,123 | $32.75 |
| 12 | Washington | $71,979 | $34.61 |
| 13 | Delaware | $73,123 | $35.16 |
| 14 | Maryland | $70,350 | $33.82 |
| 15 | Illinois | $67,860 | $32.63 |
| 16 | Kansas | $70,648 | $33.97 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $66,953 | $32.19 |
| 18 | Alaska | $72,559 | $34.88 |
| 19 | Ohio | $66,296 | $31.87 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $63,149 | $30.36 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $67,758 | $32.58 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $62,327 | $29.96 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $67,741 | $32.57 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $64,103 | $30.82 |
| 25 | Michigan | $63,539 | $30.55 |
| 26 | Missouri | $65,341 | $31.41 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $62,278 | $29.94 |
| 28 | Maine | $65,223 | $31.36 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $60,501 | $29.09 |
| 30 | North Carolina | $59,554 | $28.63 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $60,763 | $29.21 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $59,253 | $28.49 |
| 33 | Alabama | $58,357 | $28.06 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $58,993 | $28.36 |
| 35 | New Jersey | $64,364 | $30.94 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $61,407 | $29.52 |
| 37 | Utah | $57,993 | $27.88 |
| 38 | Texas | $59,131 | $28.43 |
| 39 | Iowa | $55,588 | $26.73 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $55,876 | $26.86 |
| 41 | Florida | $57,774 | $27.78 |
| 42 | Georgia | $57,445 | $27.62 |
| 43 | Indiana | $56,821 | $27.32 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $58,155 | $27.96 |
| 45 | Arizona | $51,132 | $24.58 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $55,656 | $26.76 |
| 47 | Idaho | $57,257 | $27.53 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $51,992 | $25.00 |
| 49 | Montana | $55,937 | $26.89 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $51,398 | $24.71 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $45,434 | $21.84 |
The highest-paying cities for transit planners are Santa Rosa, CA, Washington, DC, and Arlington, VA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Rosa, CA | $97,623 | $46.93 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $90,996 | $43.75 |
| 3 | Arlington, VA | $77,686 | $37.35 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $75,896 | $36.49 |
| 5 | Rochester, MN | $73,244 | $35.21 |
| 6 | Anchorage, AK | $72,571 | $34.89 |
| 7 | Seattle, WA | $72,292 | $34.76 |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $70,422 | $33.86 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $68,006 | $32.70 |
| 10 | Bismarck, ND | $62,199 | $29.90 |
| 11 | Dallas, TX | $59,646 | $28.68 |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | $57,622 | $27.70 |
A transit planner's salary ranges from $49,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $92,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $92,000 | $7,667 | $44 |
| 75th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
| Average | $67,558 | $5,630 | $32 |
| 25th Percentile | $57,000 | $4,750 | $27 |
| 10th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
The highest paying types of transit planners are business planner, urban renewal manager, and senior planner.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planning Internship | $33,695 | $2,808 | $16.20 | 57,335 |
| Urban Design Consultant | $63,960 | $5,330 | $30.75 | 41,918 |
| Urban Renewal Manager | $80,064 | $6,672 | $38.49 | 2,808 |
| Regional Planner | $65,450 | $5,454 | $31.47 | 31,876 |
| Planner | $63,161 | $5,263 | $30.37 | 15,269 |
| Space Planner | $64,516 | $5,376 | $31.02 | 14,044 |
Top companies hiring transit planners now:
Transit planner salaries at Jacobs Engineering Group and Mayor Ethan Berkowitz are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average transit planner salary at companies like HDR and Elizabeth River Ferry are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $78,490 | $37.74 |
| 2 | Mayor Ethan Berkowitz | $78,442 | $37.71 |
| 3 | HDR | $71,227 | $34.24 |
| 4 | Elizabeth River Ferry | $71,108 | $34.19 |
| 5 | Gilbane Building Company | $70,971 | $34.12 |
| 6 | Wsp USA Buildings Inc. | $70,008 | $33.66 |
| 7 | P B Holdings | $69,554 | $33.44 |
| 8 | Jacobs Enterprises | $69,551 | $33.44 |
| 9 | Minnesota Limited | $69,420 | $33.38 |
| 10 | City of Rochester MN | $69,296 | $33.32 |
| 11 | AECOM | $68,168 | $32.77 |
| 12 | HNTB | $67,334 | $32.37 |
| 13 | Kimley-Horn | $67,128 | $32.27 |
| 14 | Long Beach Transit | $66,986 | $32.20 |
| 15 | Spokane Transit Authority | $65,401 | $31.44 |
| 16 | State of West Virginia | $60,168 | $28.93 |
The average transit planner salary has risen by $10,540 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average transit planner earned $57,018 annually, but today, they earn $67,558 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for transit planners over the last decade.
Compare transit planner salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare transit planner salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $67,600 | $32.48 | +2.1% |
| 2025 | $66,100 | $31.80 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $65,000 | $31.24 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $63,600 | $30.57 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $62,300 | $29.94 | +2.6% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State of Colorado | Rail and Transit Planner (Planning Specialist IV) | Boone, CO | 06/25/2025 | $71,544 |
| State of Virginia | Northern Virginia Transit Planner | Alexandria, VA | 06/15/2025 | $93,000 |
| DHRM | Northern Virginia Transit Planner | Alexandria, VA | 06/15/2025 | $93,000 |
| Kimley-Horn | Transit Planner | Denver, CO | 06/11/2025 | $95,000 |
| Felsburg Holt & Ullevig | Transit Planner, Senior-Ntt0006 | Denver, CO | 05/26/2025 | $90,000 |
| Felsburg Holt & Ullevig | Transit Planner, Senior-Ntt0007 | Omaha, NE | 05/25/2025 | $90,000 |
| Toole Design Group | Senior Transit Planner | Minneapolis, MN | 02/18/2025 | $110,000 |
| Ridemetro | Senior Transit Planner | Houston, TX | 02/17/2025 | $76,200 |
| Toole Design Group | Senior Transit Planner | Orlando, FL | 02/16/2025 | $110,000 |
| Toole Design Group | Senior Transit Planner | Raleigh, NC | 02/16/2025 | $110,000 |
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