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.
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What Tasks Do Traffic Technicians Perform?
The core tasks performed by traffic technicians cover:
- 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.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective traffic technicians draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Traffic Technicians Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Collection Technician
- Field Traffic Investigator
- Highway Traffic Control Technician
- Pavement Engineer
- Permit Technician
- Radar Signal Processing Engineers
- Sign Technician
- Street Light Technician
How Many Traffic Technicians Are There?
There are about 699,655 traffic technicians working in the United States today. This occupation is expected 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 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Traffic Technicians Make in Different U.S. States?
| 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 |
Pay by U.S. Region
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 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| 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 |
Which Industries Hire Traffic Technicians
The largest employers of traffic technicians are concentrated in the following sectors:
| 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.
Software Traffic Technicians Use
- 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)
Work Environment
The work environment 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
Typical traffic technicians positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
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
Public Administration and Social Service Professions
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced 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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