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The differences between transportation analysts and transportation planners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a transportation analyst, becoming a transportation planner takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a transportation planner has an average salary of $68,983, which is higher than the $60,897 average annual salary of a transportation analyst.
The top three skills for a transportation analyst include logistics, process improvement and continuous improvement. The most important skills for a transportation planner are customer service, GIS, and project management.
| Transportation Analyst | Transportation Planner | |
| Yearly salary | $60,897 | $68,983 |
| Hourly rate | $29.28 | $33.16 |
| Growth rate | 28% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 23,815 | 21,425 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A transportation analyst specializes in performing research and analysis to optimize transportation processes, ensuring convenience and motorist safety. They are primarily in charge of identifying the strengths and weaknesses of current systems, recommending and implementing solutions on problem areas, and performing risk assessments. A transportation analyst may also participate in distributing budgets, maintaining databases, training new workforce members, developing new programs and projects, implementing the company's policies and regulations, and creating new ones when necessary.
A transportation planner takes responsibility for developing transportation strategies encompassing transportation needs. Transportation planners work along with government agencies for the selection and development of plans organizing mass transit. They communicate through social media in written, visual, or oral forms. It is part of their duty to design leaflets and questionnaires to communicate and receive feedback from the public. They also take part in meetings more often for note-taking, scheduling, and attendance. They need to be well-versed in algebra, geometry, calculus, and arithmetic.
Transportation analysts and transportation planners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Transportation Analyst | Transportation Planner | |
| Average salary | $60,897 | $68,983 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $84,000 | Between $50,000 And $93,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Maine | California |
| Best paying company | Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Education | Technology |
There are a few differences between a transportation analyst and a transportation planner in terms of educational background:
| Transportation Analyst | Transportation Planner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between transportation analysts' and transportation planners' demographics:
| Transportation Analyst | Transportation Planner | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.5% Female, 40.5% | Male, 60.6% Female, 39.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 11.6% White, 52.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 9.5% White, 67.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 13% |