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Transit Planner Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

ICF

Lead Public Transit Planner

Arlington, VA

$78K - $93K/yr

Lead Public Transit Planner Location is flexible, with a preference for the mid-Atlantic region and proximity to ICF offices in Arlington, VA or New York City. About ICF - Transportation Consulting ...

ICF

Principal Transportation Planner

Arlington, VA

Transit planning and related transit and multimodal analyses addressing topics such as shared mobility, first-mile last-mile connections, bus rapid transit, park-and-ride planning, and travel demand ...

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All JobsTransit Planner JobsTransit Planner Jobs in Washington

Transit Planner information

See Washington salary details

$54.9K

$81.3K

$118.4K

How much do transit planner jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 27, 2026, the average yearly pay for transit planner in Washington is $81,277.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $68,000.00 and $86,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a transit planner?

A transit planner is a professional responsible for designing, developing, and optimizing public transportation systems. They analyze travel patterns, plan routes, and coordinate schedules to improve efficiency and accessibility, often using specialized software and data analysis skills.

How much do transportation planners make in the US?

Transportation planners in the US typically earn a median annual salary of around $70,000 to $80,000, with experienced professionals and those in senior roles earning over $100,000. Salaries vary based on location, education, experience, and the complexity of projects managed.

What does a Transit Planner do?

A Transit Planner is responsible for designing, evaluating, and improving public transportation systems in cities or regions. They analyze travel patterns, population trends, and community needs to recommend routes, schedules, and service changes. Their goal is to make public transit more efficient, accessible, and sustainable for the community. Transit Planners often collaborate with government agencies, stakeholders, and the public to ensure transportation solutions meet both current and future demands.

What job makes $1,000,000 a year?

In the field of transit planning, earning $1,000,000 annually is highly uncommon and typically associated with executive-level positions, consulting roles, or private sector leadership in transportation companies. Such high earnings often require extensive experience, advanced degrees, and responsibilities overseeing large projects or organizations.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Transit Planner, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Transit Planner, you need expertise in urban planning, transportation systems, data analysis, and typically a degree in urban planning, civil engineering, or a related field. Familiarity with GIS software, transit modeling tools, and transportation planning regulations is essential. Strong communication, problem-solving, and stakeholder engagement skills help you collaborate effectively and address community needs. These abilities ensure efficient, equitable, and sustainable transit solutions that enhance urban mobility and quality of life.

What are the main challenges transit planners face when balancing community needs with budget constraints?

Transit planners often need to find creative solutions to address diverse community needs while working within limited budgets. This involves prioritizing projects that maximize public benefit, analyzing ridership data, and seeking input from stakeholders to ensure equitable service distribution. Balancing operational efficiency with accessibility and sustainability goals can be challenging, but collaboration with local governments, engineers, and the public helps identify the most impactful improvements. Being adaptable and using data-driven decision-making are key skills for overcoming these challenges.

What is the difference between Transit Planner vs Transit Analyst?

AspectTransit PlannerTransit Analyst
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in urban planning, transportation, or related field; often requires GIS skillsBachelor's or master's in urban planning, transportation, or data analysis; strong analytical skills needed
Work EnvironmentFieldwork, community engagement, planning meetingsData analysis, report writing, software use
Employer & Industry UsagePublic transit agencies, city planning departmentsTransit agencies, consulting firms, government agencies

Transit Planners focus on developing transit routes and infrastructure, while Transit Analysts analyze data to improve transit services. Both roles require similar educational backgrounds and often work within the same organizations, but their daily tasks differ significantly.

Are transportation planners in demand?

Transportation planners are in demand due to ongoing urbanization and infrastructure development, with employment growth expected to align with regional transportation projects. Skills in GIS, data analysis, and planning software enhance job prospects in this field.
What are popular job titles related to Transit Planner jobs in Washington? For Transit Planner jobs in Washington, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Transit Planner jobs in Washington look for? The top searched job categories for Transit Planner jobs in Washington are:
What are popular job titles related to Transit Planner jobs in WA? For Transit Planner jobs in WA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Transit Planner jobs near you
Infographic showing various Transit Planner job openings in Washington as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, and 8% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $81,277 per year, or $39.1 per hour.
Lead Public Transit Planner

Lead Public Transit Planner

ICF

Arlington, VA

$78K - $93K/yr

Full-time

Posted 6 days ago

Job description

Lead Public Transit Planner

Location is flexible, with a preference for the mid-Atlantic region and proximity to ICF offices in Arlington, VA or New York City.

About ICF - Transportation Consulting Portfolio
ICF's Transportation Line of Business specializes in addressing complex planning, policy, and program issues at the nexus of transportation and the environment, energy, and communities. ICF's work focuses on integrated approaches that support sustainable transportation decisions, addressing mobility, safety, environmental, social, and economic effects of transportation. Our work includes strategic planning, research, policy analysis, outreach, training, and program evaluation for federal, state, and local governments, including the U.S. Department of Transportation, state departments of transportation, and metropolitan planning organizations. We specialize in developing multimodal transportation plans; conducting needs assessments; analyzing transportation system performance data; evaluating the impacts of infrastructure projects, programs, and government policies; developing technical assistance resources; and documenting best practices related to integrated planning, transportation operations, and the environment.

ICF is seeking a Lead Public Transit Planner to join our Transportation Line of Business. The Lead Public Transit Planner is responsible for managing or supporting transportation planning projects at the state, regional, and local level, as well as work on national-level research and technical assistance efforts. This is an opportunity to contribute to an important mission and work on emerging transportation planning issues, and all while building a great career at ICF.

The position requires experience in one or more of the following areas:

  • Fixedroute and demandresponsive transit system planning, including route design, span and frequency analysis, stop spacing, productivity review, and service restructuring.

  • Transit route, corridor, and network analyses using land use, demographic, travel, and performance data for rural, regional, and statewide systems.

  • Development of transit service concepts, operating scenarios, and phased implementation strategies.

  • Market demand, ridership, productivity, and equity analysis to identify service gaps and opportunities.

  • Application of planning and technical tools such as GIS, Remix, Conveyal, Excel, and statistical methods to support service evaluation, benchmarking, and funding justification.

  • First and lastmile service, mobility-on-demand, workforce access, and integrated mobility strategies.

  • Emerging and flexible mobility options, including microtransit, vanpool, carpool, employerbased transportation, and innovative shuttle services.

  • Development, validation, and use of standardized transit data, including GTFS, GTFSRT, GTFSFlex, and FTA GTFS compliance tools.

  • Preparation of transit and mobility plans, technical memoranda, reports, and client deliverables.

Key Job Responsibilities

  • Leading the development of innovative, accurate, timely, and high-quality products and services, with a focus on transportation plans and related planning studies, typically working on multiple projects with all levels of staff.

  • Managing project or task schedules and budgets.

  • Planning and/or facilitating workshops and other outreach activities.

  • Pursuing new business opportunities with a focus on state and local clients.

  • Identifying industry trends and working closely with the division senior leadership to position ICF for long-term growth.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in urban planning, transportation planning, public policy, public administration, or a related field; or equivalent professional experience.

  • 7+ years of experience in transit planning, public transportation program administration, long range transportation planning, or related technical roles.

  • Experience working with FTAfunded transit programs and state or regional transit agencies.

Working at ICF

ICF is a global advisory and technology services provider, but we're not your typical consultants. We combine unmatched expertise with cutting-edge technology to help clients solve their most complex challenges, navigate change, and shape the future.

We can only solve the world's toughest challenges by building a workplace that allows everyone to thrive. We are an equal opportunity employer.Together, our employees are empowered to share theirexpertiseand collaborate with others to achieve personal and professional goals. For more information, please read ourEEOpolicy.

We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Reasonable Accommodations are available, including, but not limited to, for disabled veterans, individuals with disabilities, and individuals withsincerely heldreligious beliefs, in all phases of the application and employment process. To requestan accommodation,please emailCandidateaccommodation@icf.comand we will be happy toassist. All information you provide will be kept confidential and will be used only to the extentrequiredto provide needed reasonable accommodations.

Read more aboutworkplacediscriminationrightsor our benefit offerings which are included in theTransparency in (Benefits) CoverageAct.

Candidate AI Usage Policy

At ICF, we are committed to ensuring a fair interview process for all candidates based on their own skills and knowledge. As part of this commitment, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to generate orassistwith responses during interviews (whether in-person or virtual) is notpermitted. This policy is in place tomaintainthe integrity and authenticity of the interview process.

However, we understand that some candidates may require accommodationthat involves the use of AI. Ifsuch anaccommodation is needed, candidates are instructed to contact us in advance atcandidateaccommodation@icf.com. Weare dedicated to providingthe necessary support to ensure that all candidates have an equal opportunity to succeed.


Pay Range - There are multiple factors that are considered in determining final pay for a position, including, but not limited to, relevant work experience, skills, certifications and competencies that align to the specified role, geographic location, education and certifications as well as contract provisions regarding labor categories that are specific to the position.

The pay range for this position based on full-time employment is:

$108,006.00 - $183,610.00Arlington, VA (VA31)

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