Master of Science [M.S] [Transportation Engineering] From University of California

University of California, Berkeley Master of Science in Transportation Engineering is a one-year, full-time, on-campus degree in Berkeley for quantitatively prepared engineering graduates. Fall 2027 tuition is unpublished; 2026-27 nonresident new-student fees were US$37,002.25 per semester (INR 35.13 Lakhs), as a prior-cycle reference. Applicants need a bachelor’s equivalent, a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on 4.0 and the programme’s mathematics and physical-science prerequisites.

The course develops analytical skills across transport planning, design, operations, performance and policy, while allowing either a thesis or comprehensive-examination route. It best fits applicants who want technical depth rather than the leadership core of the Master of Engineering (MEng).

• Plan I combines 20 units with a supervised thesis and permits up to four semesters for advanced research.
• Plan II completes 24 units in two semesters and ends with a written comprehensive examination.
• Students can draw relevant coursework and research interaction from planning, economics, operations research and the Institute of Transportation Studies.

Also Check: UC Berkeley Transportation Engineering MS Admission

UC Berkeley Transportation MS Fees and Living Costs 2027

Fall 2027 tuition is unpublished after checks of the programme, department finance and Registrar fee surfaces. Verify the target fee on the official fee page.

Prior-cycle planning reference: Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) directs MS students to the College of Engineering professional schedule. The table reproduces its 2026-27 nonresident master’s charges.

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of US$ 1 = INR 94.94 as of 26 October 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

Source: UC Berkeley Registrar 2026-27 College of Engineering professional fee schedule.

The first-semester total and continuing-semester total sum to US$73,885.50 (INR 70.15 Lakhs) for two semesters. This prior-cycle planning illustration excludes the Fall 2027 fee change and the US$155 application charge (INR 14,716).

Cost of Living in Berkeley for Transportation MS Students

Berkeley’s 2026-27 professional-graduate budget estimates US$37,960 (INR 36.04 Lakhs) for nine months of off-campus personal expenses. The monthly figures below divide each official annual component by nine and are calculated planning amounts.

Combining that living budget with two-semester fees produces a prior-cycle planning illustration of US$111,845.50 (INR 1.06 Crore). The calculation is not a Fall 2027 price and should be rebuilt after Berkeley publishes the new schedule. Return on investment (ROI) therefore depends on the target fee, written funding and the role-specific salary evidence discussed below.

Read More: Cost of Living in USA for International Students

ROI reality: Prior-cycle fees and off-campus expenses together reached INR 1.06 Crore, while Fall 2027 tuition remains unpublished. Secure a funding ceiling that can absorb the new fee before committing.

UC Berkeley Transportation Engineering MS Admission 2027

Fall 2027 applicants need a bachelor’s equivalent, a minimum GPA of 3.0 on 4.0 and preparation across calculus, physical science, probability, statistics and linear algebra. Berkeley evaluates the complete record, so meeting the threshold does not establish admission competitiveness.

Fall 2027 entry: The requirements below apply to the on-campus Transportation Engineering MS and distinguish formal thresholds from course preparation.

The programme’s statistics and linear-algebra diagnostic occurs at the start of the first semester. A student who does not demonstrate adequate preparation must take CE 262 immediately, which can compress an already intensive two-semester plan.

English Language Proficiency for Fall 2027

Indian applicants without an exemption must submit the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Berkeley publishes separate score rules around 21 January 2026, so the test date controls which scale applies.

• Tests taken before 1 June 2025 are not accepted for Fall 2027 even when Berkeley previously received the score.
• Indian university instruction in English alone does not create a published country-specific waiver, so confirm an exemption before skipping a test.
• The Pearson Test of English is not an accepted CEE route, making current TOEFL or IELTS the actionable choices for most Indian applicants.

Check Out: UC Berkeley Courses and Fees

Tip for Indian students: A 3.0 GPA clears only the formal floor, while missing statistics or linear algebra can add CE 262. Use transcripts and statements to prove quantitative readiness.

UC Berkeley Transportation Engineering MS Application 2027

The Fall 2027 application is open and Berkeley offers no spring entry for this MS. Applicants must select Civil and Environmental Engineering MS, then Transportation Engineering as the first preference.

Fall 2027 timeline: Pacific Time controls the portal, while the IST equivalents below show the practical deadline for Indian applicants.

International applicants pay a US$155 application fee (INR 14,716), plus Berkeley’s published processing charge. Since CEE does not interview, the statements, recommendations, transcripts and prerequisite evidence must collectively explain technical readiness and transport interests.

How to Build a Transportation-Focused Application

A strong submission should connect prior quantitative work to the programme’s analytical curriculum rather than describe transport interest in general terms. The thesis and examination plans also reward different evidence, so applicants should show which route matches their preparation.

• Map transcript courses to calculus, mechanics, probability, statistics and linear algebra so reviewers can verify every prerequisite quickly.
• Use the Statement of Purpose to connect a defined transport problem with Berkeley’s planning, operations, systems or policy coursework.
• Choose at least two academic referees who can evaluate quantitative reasoning, research discipline or engineering design rather than repeat employment duties.
• Submit test scores and recommendations by the main deadline because Berkeley gives no assurance that late documents enter the review.

Application tip: Submit before the Pacific cutoff with prerequisite evidence embedded in the application. The programme has no interview stage where missing quantitative context can be repaired later.

UC Berkeley Transportation Engineering MS Scholarships 2027

Funding for MS-only students is limited, and CEE states that most support awarded at entry appears in the admission letter. International applicants may enter fellowship consideration by completing the application’s Economic Background section, but no Fall 2027 award amounts are guaranteed.

Current published routes: Berkeley lists these options without designating them as confirmed Fall 2027 awards, so values and appointment availability require fresh verification.

The Gateway award has the clearest published package, but it depends on demonstrated need and departmental participation. Assistantships can materially reduce cost, although securing one may compete with the workload of a two-semester 20-unit or 24-unit plan.

• Complete the Economic Background section because international applicants need it for several university, block-grant and restricted-endowment considerations.
• Budget initially at the gross prior-cycle cost because assistantship selection is not promised with Transportation MS admission.
• Ask whether any remission covers nonresident and professional supplemental charges before treating an appointment as a full-fee award.

Also Check: UC Berkeley Scholarships for International Students

Scholarship reality: CEE reserves most funding for PhD students, so an MS applicant should not build the budget around an unconfirmed assistantship. Submit funding fields fully but retain a gross-cost plan.

UC Berkeley Transportation Engineering MS Salary 2027

UC Berkeley publishes no Transportation MS cohort salary, offer rate or sector distribution on the checked programme and CEE pages. National occupation data can frame the US market, but it cannot establish this course’s graduate outcome.

External US job-market benchmarks: The May 2025 figures below describe civil engineers across experience levels and employers, not Berkeley graduates or starting salaries.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics civil-engineer data, May 2025.

The occupation is projected to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 22,700 openings yearly. Those figures indicate market scale, while public-project funding can still make transport demand sensitive to government budgets.

Transportation Engineering MS ROI

The prior-cycle planning illustration totals US$111,845.50 (INR 1.06 Crore), before any Fall 2027 fee change. A defensible ROI decision therefore depends on funding, work authorization and role-specific pay rather than the national median alone.

• The course publishes no cohort salary, so request destination evidence from CEE and never treat US$100,840 (INR 95.74 Lakhs) as expected starting pay.
• Limited MS funding leaves the gross cost exposed, so accept only after comparing written awards against the updated Fall 2027 bill.
• A qualifying science, technology, engineering and mathematics degree may support 12-month Optional Practical Training plus a 24-month extension, so verify the I-20 code.
• The BLS figures describe US roles, so an India-return plan needs Indian transport-consulting or public-infrastructure pay data instead of currency conversion.

Take-home pay varies with location, filing status and deductions, so test any offer through the official tax withholding estimator. Do not calculate repayment from gross occupational pay when the programme publishes no graduate salary distribution.

ROI reality: The curriculum offers direct technical depth, but the outcome evidence cannot support a payback forecast. Reduce risk through written funding and a role-specific salary check before enrolment.

US Visa for UC Berkeley Transportation MS Students 2027

Indian admits normally use the F-1 academic student visa, with a US$185 visa fee (INR 17,564) and US$350 SEVIS fee (INR 33,229). SEVIS means Student and Exchange Visitor Information System and maintains the student record. OPT means Optional Practical Training and can provide up to 12 months of related work. The H-1B specialty-occupation route requires a separate employer petition.

• A qualifying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) extension can add 24 months to OPT when the I-20 code and employer conditions qualify.
• H-1B pay must meet the higher actual or prevailing wage, so this degree creates no fixed sponsorship salary threshold.
• Employment-based permanent residence depends on the category, employer sponsorship and visa availability, with no automatic degree-linked timeline.
• F-2 status may cover a spouse and unmarried minor children, but those dependants are not employment-authorized.

Read More: F-1 Student Visa Process for Indian Students

Visa reality: The longest potential work window is 36 months only when STEM OPT conditions are met. Confirm the Transportation MS code on the issued I-20 before using that window in ROI planning.

UC Berkeley Transportation Engineering MS Ranking 2027

U.S. News ranks UC Berkeley’s graduate civil engineering discipline No. 1, tied, for 2026. The ranking covers the broader discipline and does not separately score the Transportation Engineering MS or either degree plan.

Discipline-level context: The current and previous positions use the same graduate civil-engineering scope.

The rise from No. 2 to No. 1 supports the strength of the surrounding civil-engineering environment. Applicants should still select Berkeley for its transport curriculum, faculty fit and plan structure rather than infer a course-specific placement advantage.

Check Out: UC Berkeley Rankings

Honest take: The No. 1 position is strong discipline context, not a Transportation MS outcome measure. Use it alongside curriculum fit and funding evidence, not as a substitute for cohort employment data.