Career profile · 53-6041
Traffic Technicians
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 the work can involve
- 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.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This broad O*NET group commonly involves vocational training, related experience or an associate-level route. It does not mean every course in a related subject meets the requirements.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Monitoring
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Public Safety and Security
- Computers and Electronics
- Transportation
- English Language
- Engineering and Technology
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Working with Computers
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Getting Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Contact with others most of the time | 51.7%08/2026 · sample 12 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | Once a week or more but not every day | 33.5%08/2026 · sample 12 |
| Spend Time Sitting | More than half the time | 33.6%08/2026 · sample 12 |
| Spend Time Standing | Less than half the time | 47.7%08/2026 · sample 12 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | More than half the time | 33.6%08/2026 · sample 12 |
| Time Pressure | Once a week or more but not every day | 45.8%08/2026 · sample 12 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 83.0%08/2026 · sample 12 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Analytical or scientific software: Dowling Associates TRAFFIX, JAMAR Technologies PETRAPro, Pd' Programming Intersection Magic, SAS
- Business intelligence and data analysis software: Tableau
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD, Bentley MicroStation, Computer aided design and drafting software CADD, Trafficware SimTraffic
- Customer relationship management CRM software: Salesforce software
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access, Oracle Database, Structure query language SQL
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook
- Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software, ESRI ArcView, Geographic information system GIS systems
- Industrial control software: Traffic control software, Traffic signal software
- Object or component oriented development software: C++, Python, R
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for traffic technicians
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 36 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $52,060 | $25.03 | 130 |
| Arizona | $59,980 | $28.84 | 310 |
| Arkansas | $49,550 | $23.82 | 50 |
| California | $79,110 | $38.03 | 1,250 |
| Connecticut | $50,400 | $24.23 | Not published |
| Florida | $51,220 | $24.62 | 710 |
| Georgia | $48,110 | $23.13 | 220 |
| Idaho | $57,180 | $27.49 | 70 |
| Illinois | $70,970 | $34.12 | 40 |
| Indiana | $71,000 | $34.14 | 120 |
| Iowa | $68,100 | $32.74 | 30 |
| Kansas | $47,100 | $22.65 | 160 |
| Louisiana | $42,710 | $20.54 | 130 |
| Maryland | $60,650 | $29.16 | 140 |
| Massachusetts | $63,780 | $30.66 | 90 |
| Michigan | $37,890 | $18.22 | 100 |
| Minnesota | $77,810 | $37.41 | 60 |
| Missouri | $56,720 | $27.27 | 220 |
| Nebraska | $61,380 | $29.51 | 40 |
| Nevada | $53,100 | $25.53 | 190 |
| New Jersey | $64,240 | $30.88 | 110 |
| New Mexico | $49,280 | $23.69 | 80 |
| New York | $71,670 | $34.46 | 950 |
| North Carolina | $56,800 | $27.31 | 110 |
| Ohio | $61,460 | $29.55 | 210 |
| Oklahoma | $60,750 | $29.21 | 90 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,610 | $31.55 | 60 |
| South Carolina | $57,080 | $27.44 | 150 |
| Tennessee | $44,970 | $21.62 | 460 |
| Texas | $48,770 | $23.45 | 650 |
| Utah | $61,970 | $29.79 | 30 |
| Virginia | $62,270 | $29.94 | 90 |
| Washington | $71,960 | $34.59 | 70 |
| West Virginia | $53,400 | $25.67 | 70 |
| Wisconsin | $58,940 | $28.34 | 40 |
| Wyoming | $50,120 | $24.10 | 30 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 47 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 53-6041.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.