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Traffic Technicians: Job Description
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.
What Do Traffic Technicians Take On?
Typical responsibilities of traffic technicians include:
- Study traffic delays by noting times of delays, the numbers of vehicles affected, and vehicle speed through the delay area.
- Interact with the public to answer traffic-related questions, respond to complaints or requests, or discuss traffic control ordinances, plans, policies, or procedures.
- Prepare graphs, charts, diagrams, or other aids to illustrate observations or conclusions.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful traffic technicians draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Traffic Technicians Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Collection Technician
- Field Traffic Investigator
- Highway Traffic Control Technician
- Pavement Engineer
- Permit Technician
- Radar Signal Processing Engineers
- Sign Technician
- Street Light Technician
Job Outlook
There are about 699,655 traffic technicians working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +9.7% over the projection horizon.
Traffic Technicians Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $64,132 |
| Hourly median | $30.83 |
| 10th percentile | $36,349 |
| 25th percentile | $50,241 |
| 75th percentile | $78,024 |
| 90th percentile | $91,916 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $80,570 |
| Washington | $79,150 |
| Minnesota | $71,020 |
| New York | $69,930 |
| Iowa | $69,830 |
| Maryland | $66,920 |
| Oregon | $62,910 |
| Virginia | $62,360 |
| Massachusetts | $61,810 |
| Idaho | $60,940 |
| Wisconsin | $59,870 |
| Arizona | $59,870 |
| Ohio | $59,810 |
| New Jersey | $59,750 |
| Oklahoma | $59,120 |
| Nebraska | $58,880 |
| Indiana | $58,830 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,800 |
| South Carolina | $55,330 |
| Missouri | $55,120 |
| Tennessee | $54,910 |
| Georgia | $52,720 |
| Florida | $52,230 |
| Wyoming | $52,030 |
| Nevada | $51,410 |
| Alabama | $50,660 |
| West Virginia | $50,500 |
| Connecticut | $49,050 |
| North Carolina | $48,830 |
| New Mexico | $48,020 |
| Texas | $47,890 |
| Arkansas | $46,590 |
| Kansas | $41,590 |
| Michigan | $37,220 |
| Louisiana | $36,060 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Pay for traffic technicians shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $68,077 | 22.3% | 1.71 |
| New England | $61,810 | 1.2% | 0.40 |
| Rocky Mountains | $58,267 | 1.7% | 1.80 |
| Far Western US | $57,541 | 5.6% | 2.16 |
| Plains States | $54,112 | 8.6% | 1.47 |
| Great Lakes | $53,249 | 5.6% | 0.42 |
| Southwest | $51,663 | 20.2% | 1.29 |
| Southeast | $51,082 | 34.7% | 1.29 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $97,860 | |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $95,310 | 100 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $83,570 | 230 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | CA | $82,990 | 90 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $78,020 | 340 |
| Columbus, OH | OH | $74,060 | 40 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $71,970 | 790 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $68,060 | 340 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of traffic technicians are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1,550 | $65,680 |
| Construction | 110 | $51,210 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 90 | $50,950 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- Computer aided design CAD software: Bentley MicroStation (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: C++ (hot technology)
- Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Oracle Database (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for traffic technicians tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level traffic technicians positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (Supplemental)
- Logistics Engineers (Supplemental)
- Geodetic Surveyors (Supplemental)
- Civil Engineers (Supplemental)
- Transportation Engineers (Supplemental)
- Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Short)
- Surveying and Mapping Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Transportation Planners (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Aspiring traffic technicians often complete programs in:
Engineering Technologies and Engineering-Related Fields
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 53-6041.00 (Traffic Technicians).
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