Occupation salary profile

Traffic Technicians

SOC 53-6041 BLS OEWS May 2025

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.

National median · BLS
$59,090
▲ +1.04% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$62,050
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
7,860
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.

Pay range for Traffic Technicians

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$39,090
25th$46,440
Median (50th)$59,090
75th$75,850
90th — top pay$85,130

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Traffic Technicians

BLS projects employment of traffic technicians to grow 4% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 900 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
8,100 → 8,400
+300 jobs
Projected change
+4%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
900
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a high school diploma →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Traffic Technicians

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Active Listening3.6
  • Complex Problem Solving3.3
  • Critical Thinking3.3
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.3
  • Reading Comprehension3.3
  • Speaking3.3
  • Monitoring3.1
  • Writing3.1
  • Active Learning3.0
  • Coordination3.0
Top knowledge areas
  • Public Safety and Security3.9
  • Computers and Electronics3.9
  • Transportation3.9
  • English Language3.6
  • Engineering and Technology3.5
  • Law and Government3.3
  • Mathematics3.3
  • Customer and Personal Service3.3
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareAutodesk AutoCADBentley MicroStationC++ESRI ArcGIS softwareMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WordOracle DatabasePythonRSalesforce softwareSASTableauThe MathWorks MATLAB

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What traffic technicians do

  • Study factors affecting traffic conditions, such as lighting or sign and marking visibility, to assess their effectiveness.
  • Interact with the public to answer traffic-related questions, respond to complaints or requests, or discuss traffic control ordinances, plans, policies, or procedures.
  • Prepare work orders for repair, maintenance, or changes in traffic systems.
  • Plan, design, and improve components of traffic control systems to accommodate current or projected traffic and to increase usability and efficiency.
  • Analyze data related to traffic flow, accident rates, or proposed development to determine the most efficient methods to expedite traffic flow.
  • Visit development or work sites to determine projects' effect on traffic and the adequacy of traffic control and safety plans or to suggest traffic control measures.
  • Operate counters and record data to assess the volume, type, and movement of vehicular or pedestrian traffic at specified times.
  • Measure and record the speed of vehicular traffic, using electrical timing devices or radar equipment.
Also called
Traffic Control Technician (Traffic Control Tech)Traffic Signal Technician (TST)Traffic Systems Technician (Traffic Systems Tech)Transportation Technician (Transportation Tech)Field Traffic InvestigatorTraffic Field InvestigatorTraffic InvestigatorTraffic Monitor SpecialistTraffic Survey Technician (Traffic Survey Tech)Transportation Planning Technician (Transportation Planning Tech)
More job titles for this occupation (6)
Highway Traffic Control Technician (Highway Traffic Control Tech)Permit Technician (Permit Tech)Street Light Technician (Street Light Tech)Traffic Management SpecialistTraffic SpecialistTransportation Analyst

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.