Traffic Technicians earn a median of $59,090 per year ($28.41/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 4.0% through 2035, with about 900 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 53-6041
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Traffic Technician in four numbers
- Median pay
- $59,090a year, or $28.41/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $39KTop 10% $85K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +4.0%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+4%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +4% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 9008,100 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20258.1K
- Projected 20358.4K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 8.1K Projected 2035 8.4K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school42.9%
- Certificate9.8%
- Some college23.2%
- Associate's12.5%
- Bachelor's11.7%
Highest education held by traffic technicians Segment Value High school 42.9% Certificate 9.8% Some college 23.2% Associate's 12.5% Bachelor's 11.7%
Also advertised as: Field Traffic Investigator, Traffic Control Technician (Traffic Control Tech), Traffic Field Investigator, Traffic Investigator, Traffic Monitor Specialist, Traffic Signal Technician (TST).
Pay
How much do Traffic Technicians make?
Every traffic technician in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$59,090
Middle half earn $46,440 to $75,850
- 10th
- $39,090
- 25th
- $46,440
- 75th
- $75,850
- 90th
- $85,130
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $39,090 |
| 25th | $46,440 |
| Median | $59,090 |
| 75th | $75,850 |
| 90th | $85,130 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $59,090
- Median hourly wage
- $28.41/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $62,050
- People employed
- 7,860
Versus all US occupations
At $59,090, Traffic Technicians earn 16% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $8,110 a year.
Versus transportation and material moving occupations
Inside the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $62,840, this is 6% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $85,130 or more while the bottom 10% earn $39,090, a gap of 2.2×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 31% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
California posts the highest raw median ($79,110), but once local prices are taken into account Minnesota leads at $78,898 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Traffic Technicians the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $79,110 | $71,451 | 1,250 |
| 2Minnesota | $77,810 | $78,898 | 60 |
| 3Washington | $71,960 | $67,244 | 70 |
| 4New York | $71,670 | $66,410 | 950 |
| 5Indiana | $71,000 | $76,075 | 120 |
| 6Illinois | $70,970 | $71,000 | 40 |
| 7Iowa | $68,100 | $77,596 | 30 |
| 8Pennsylvania | $65,610 | $67,243 | 60 |
| 9New Jersey | $64,240 | $59,041 | 110 |
| 10Massachusetts | $63,780 | $60,308 | 90 |
Job outlook
Is Traffic Technician a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +4.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Traffic Technicians | +4% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Traffic Technicians to change 4.0% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 300 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 900 openings are projected each year, 11.1% of the 8,100 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Traffic Technician
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as traffic technicians.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)42.9%
- Some College Courses23.2%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree12.5%
- Bachelor's Degree11.7%
- Post-Secondary Certificate9.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 42.9% |
| Some College Courses | 23.2% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 12.5% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 11.7% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 9.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Traffic Technician do?
Conduct field studies to determine traffic volume, speed, effectiveness of signals, adequacy of lighting, and other factors influencing traffic conditions, under direction of traffic engineer.
Day-to-day tasks
- Prepare work orders for repair, maintenance, or changes in traffic systems.
- Interact with the public to answer traffic-related questions, respond to complaints or requests, or discuss traffic control ordinances, plans, policies, or procedures.
- Study traffic delays by noting times of delays, the numbers of vehicles affected, and vehicle speed through the delay area.
- Gather and compile data from hand count sheets, machine count tapes, or radar speed checks and code data for computer input.
- Study factors affecting traffic conditions, such as lighting or sign and marking visibility, to assess their effectiveness.
- Analyze data related to traffic flow, accident rates, or proposed development to determine the most efficient methods to expedite traffic flow.
- Measure and record the speed of vehicular traffic, using electrical timing devices or radar equipment.
- Operate counters and record data to assess the volume, type, and movement of vehicular or pedestrian traffic at specified times.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.6
- Reading Comprehension3.3
- Speaking3.3
- Critical Thinking3.3
- Writing3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Active Learning3.0
- Mathematics2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.6 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.3 |
| Speaking | 3.3 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.3 |
| Writing | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 |
| Mathematics | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving3.3
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Coordination3.0
- Systems Analysis3.0
- Systems Evaluation3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Management of Personnel Resources3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.3 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.0 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Customer relationship management CRM software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Geographic information system · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Traffic Technician?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Traffic Technician |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic4.9
- Conventional4.5
- Investigative4.4
- Enterprising2.0
- Social1.9
- Artistic1.4
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
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More transportation and material moving careers
Median annual pay, with traffic technicians highlighted
- Airline Pilot$232,140
- Commercial Pilot$123,220
- Locomotive Engineer$81,410
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster$78,000
- Crane and Tower Operator$68,080
- Flight Attendant$63,580
- Traffic Technician$59,090
- Truck Driver$58,640
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector$49,690
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Airline Pilot | $232,140 |
| Commercial Pilot | $123,220 |
| Locomotive Engineer | $81,410 |
| Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster | $78,000 |
| Crane and Tower Operator | $68,080 |
| Flight Attendant | $63,580 |
| Traffic Technician | $59,090 |
| Truck Driver | $58,640 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $49,690 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Traffic Technician appears on
Questions
Traffic Technician: frequently asked questions
How much do Traffic Technicians make?
Traffic Technicians earn a median of $59,090 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 16% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $28.41/hr. The middle half earn between $46,440 and $75,850. The top 10% earn $85,130 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Traffic Technician?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Traffic Technicians. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 42.9% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Traffic Technician a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 4.0% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Traffic Technician do?
Conduct field studies to determine traffic volume, speed, effectiveness of signals, adequacy of lighting, and other factors influencing traffic conditions, under direction of traffic engineer. A core O*NET task: prepare work orders for repair, maintenance, or changes in traffic systems. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Business intelligence and data analysis software, Computer aided design CAD software.
Which states pay Traffic Technicians the most?
The highest state medians for Traffic Technicians are California ($79,110), Minnesota ($77,810), Washington ($71,960) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Minnesota moves to the top at $78,898.
What personality type suits a Traffic Technician?
O*NET scores Traffic Technicians highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.