14 Best-Paying Jobs in Transportation Services (USA)

Best-paying jobs in transportation services – if you are looking for a job in the transportation sector, then I must say you are looking into a wide and flourishing field

Let’s see, how finding jobs in the transportation sector or field is best in the USA –

  • The USA has a vast network of highways and bridges.
  • As per the US Department of Transportation, the US has 223,257 miles of road (National Highway System) connecting rural landscapes and cities.
  • US Airways operated 3,031 flights a day to 193 destinations in 24 countries.
  • The United States has 25,000 miles of inland waterways and 239 locks from the freight network’s “water highway.”

With the flourishing economy, the US is constantly expanding and diversifying its transportation sector through investment and the development of policies. That gives immense opportunities to find the best-paying jobs in transportation services or highest-paying jobs in transportation and logistics.

So, here, let’s find the best jobs in the next section.  

14 Best Paying Jobs in Transportation Services (USA)

1. Commercial pilot – fly high in the sky

Commercial pilot - Best-Paying Jobs in Transportation Services
  • Save

Education Required: Bachelor’s degree in transportation, engineering, or business

When you are looking for one of the best-paying jobs in transportation services, I thought, to start with a commercial pilot, considering that with the increasing demand for tourism and traveling, it is a flourishing field.

Plus, if I have to sum up your major role then it would be to fly for major airlines, air freight companies, and private employers. Moreover, you can fly anything, be it a private plane, commercial airliners, and even a helicopter, of course, if you are trained for it.

Average Salary: The median annual wage for commercial pilots was $99,630 in June 2021.

Know what 7 UNBELIEVABLE Jobs that will disappear by 2030

2. Air traffic controller – avoid collision of aircraft

Education Required: Associates degree

Though its name says it all, still, if you want to know a gist about it, then being an air traffic controller, you would coordinate the movement of aircraft in airports and the skies with the pilot.

This job is one of the crucial, and best-paying jobs in transportation services, considering that it is essential to ensure proper coordination to maintain safe distances to avoid collisions and other hazards.

Average Salary: $58,246 per year in the United States

3. Railroad workers

Education Required: High school diploma

A railroad worker is entrusted with the responsibility of the safe operation of both passenger and freight trains. Though, the operations of both the trains differ depending on functions. 

Average Salary: $48,438 per year in the United States

These 19 Best Remote Job Sites to Find a Permanent WFH Job!, will roll your head.

4. Water transportation workers

Water transportation workers
  • Save

Education Required: No formation education is required.

As mentioned, no formal education is required to be a water transportation worker, yet most water transportation needs Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) from the Transportation Security Administration and a Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC), including any related endorsements, from the U.S. Coast Guard.

Average Salary: $62,765 per year in the United States

5. Flight attendant (highest paying jobs in transportation and logistics)

Education Required: High school diploma or equivalent.

As you must know, a flight attendant is a person who assists the individual on commercial airliners. That’s not all, they also participate in preflight briefings with pilots, conduct preflight inspections of emergency equipment, maintain safety procedures, and other responsibilities.

If you have traveled through commercial airliners, you might have noticed a lady or a guy helping you or others with their needs – those flight attendants.

Average Salary: $31,357 per year in the United States

Check out, 5 Best International Job Search Sites (US)

6. Heavy and tractor-trailer salaried truck drivers

Education Required: Postsecondary non-degree award

This job represents one of the most common yet best-paying jobs in transportation services since it includes approx 2 million jobs. 

And if you are looking for international exposure, that’s the perfect job for you, do you know why?

Well because it has work centers across the globe, here you go. You can actually consider a lifestyle as much as an occupation since you would spend days or weeks on the road, which makes it a perfect job for a traveler.

Average Salary: $70,143 per year in the United States

7. Operators

Education Required: Training/certification needed: a completion of vocational school, an associate’s degree, and/or related on-the-job experience is required.

An operator is a person who operates a mechanical boom, cable or tower, and cable equipment with the purpose to lift and move materials, machines, or products in distinct directions. 

Moreover, it also includes operating a forklift again to move materials, goods, and machinery.

From its job role, we can safely categorize it as one of the highest paying jobs in transportation and logistics.

Average Salary: $17.43 per hour in the United States

Don’t miss, 16 Easy Jobs That Pay Well Without Experience

8. Dump truck driver

Dump truck driver - best paying jobs in transportation services
  • Save

Education Required: On-the-job training and, in some cases, a CDL.

As its name defines, being a dump truck driver, you would be responsible for collecting and dumping refuse or recyclable materials from containers into a truck, including driving the truck.

Average Salary: $23.55 per hour in the United States

9. Engineers (best paying jobs in transportation services)

Education required: In most cases, completion of a degree in engineering.

I know you might be shocked to see “engineering,” as one of the best-paying jobs in transportation services.

Let’s see, what would be the role of an engineer in the transportation industry?

Alright! 

Your role includes researching, designing, creating, maintaining, and testing the performance of operating and maintaining engines, including boilers, deck machinery, and electrical, sanitary, and refrigeration equipment.

Average Salary: $58,621 per year in the United States

Check, Will You Do This for $$$? 9 High-Paying Jobs Nobody Wants (USA)

10. Shipping loaders – warehouse

Education required: Typically, a high school diploma along with on-the-job training and/or completion of a recognized apprenticeship program.

This is one of the highest paying jobs in transportation and logistics, since, being a shipping loader, you would be responsible to load and unload materials into or from tank cars, trucks, or ships.

Average Salary: $19.54 per hour in the United States

11. Transport coordinator

The transport coordinator includes establishing schedule parameters by reviewing schedule requisitions, cargo, distances, and other crucial information. This is done through software to seamlessly design schedules or modify existing schedules.

Moreover, your job roles also might include ensuring efficiency of routes for time and cost by emphasizing on planning special events, peak travel periods, and construction.

Average Salary: $42,365 per year in the United States

12. Owner operator driver (best paying jobs in transportation services)

An owner-operator driver is a person who provides your truck or vehicle to perform regional and highway runs. This could even take place overnight, thus, your truck might need a  sleeper cab. Moreover, your truck could also need a power takeoff (PTO) as a method to take power from another source.

Also, like other mentioned jobs, your salary as an owner-operator driver could differ depending on the destination you are driving to and with local and regional shifts available, as well as cross-border work, or day and evening deliveries.

Average Salary: $247,132 per year in the United States

Know about the 22 Best Stress-Free Jobs Without a Degree, you can do.

13. Delivery Driver

Delivery Driver
  • Save

If looking for one of the best-paying jobs in transportation services, probably one of the first jobs that come to everyone’s mind when looking for a job in the transportation field.

Moreover, I must mention, that it is one of the flourishing fields to work in, especially now when everything is delivered at their doorstep, be it food or other items. So if you have decided to go into this field, work for companies like Swiggy, Zomato, and other companies. 

However, you can also start your own delivery service company/ firm, more like FedEx.

Average Salary: $36,894 per year in the United States

14. Part-time warehouse jobs

Just looking for temporary work in the transportation sector, I have got some part-time warehouse jobs for you, that is –

  • Warehouse Associate, 
  • Warehouse Worker, 
  • Warehouse Package Handler 
  • Warehouse manager
  • Order picker
  • Packer 
  • and more

These are a few jobs in transportation services that you can do in a warehouse. Although some jobs might need a course or a degree at least, while some do not, that depends on how many technical aspects are associated with a job.

Average Salary: $20.43 per hour in the United States

So, get that job and start working right now!!!

Other best-paying jobs in transportation services you might consider –

  • Courier jobs
  • Transport driver
  • Dispatcher
  • Logistics
  • Forklift operator
  • Van driver
  • Tow truck driver
  • Bus driver

Conclusion

14 Best-Paying Jobs in Transportation Services – the jobs that will give a kickstart to your career, that too in a flourishing field, that can be fired out from the mentioned data provided in the introduction.

These 14 best hand-picked jobs will definitely help you grow and diversify your career, however, it is to be noted that, most of the jobs in the transportation sector need a certificate or a course to be completed.

For instance, to be a commercial pilot you are required a Bachelor’s degree in transportation, engineering, or business to reflect your technical knowledge. Likewise, applicable to other jobs. therefore, choose your career wisely.

Moreover, if you need more information about any jobs, ping me right here in the comment.

Hi there, I'm Deepika Kaushik. I'm a content writer and have an economic background. I love to write on topics related to jobs, courses, and current market trends.

Leave a Comment