Career
Traffic technicians
Study traffic and help it flow safely.
$59,090
Median pay
+4.0%
Job growth, 2025–35
900
Openings a year
High school diploma or equivalent
Typical education
None required
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job 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.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on objects & tools, then information & systems?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Study factors affecting traffic conditions, such as lighting or sign and marking visibility, to assess their effectiveness.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Complex Problem Solving.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
No degree beyond high school, though moderate-term on-the-job training is typical, for a median of $59,090 a year and 900 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Civil Engineering Technologies/TechniciansCIP 15.0201
- Transportation and Infrastructure Planning/StudiesCIP 44.0403
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$64,950 · +3.2%
- Construction and Building Inspectors$74,690 · +0.0%
- Air Traffic Controllers$148,080 · +1.7%
- Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters$78,000 · +0.9%
- Highway Maintenance Workers$50,260 · +3.4%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.