Traffic Technicians Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for traffic technicianss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $62,050 ≈ $30/hr
National median salary $59,090
Total employment 7,860 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +3.7%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 800 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 7,900 → 8,200 (+300)
Typical entry education High school diploma or equivalent
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Washington$77,040
- California$75,890
- Minnesota$73,250
- New York$73,180
- Illinois$72,170
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Louisiana$44,370
- Kansas$48,580
- New Mexico$49,460
- Tennessee$49,540
- Michigan$49,890
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $77,040 | $71,960 | $37 | +24.2% | 70 |
| 2 | California | $75,890 | $79,110 | $36 | +22.3% | 1,250 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $73,250 | $77,810 | $35 | +18% | 60 |
| 4 | New York | $73,180 | $71,670 | $35 | +17.9% | 950 |
| 5 | Illinois | $72,170 | $70,970 | $35 | +16.3% | 40 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $69,450 | $63,780 | $33 | +11.9% | 90 |
| 7 | Virginia | $66,190 | $62,270 | $32 | +6.7% | 90 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $66,050 | $64,240 | $32 | +6.4% | 110 |
| 9 | Maryland | $65,010 | $60,650 | $31 | +4.8% | 140 |
| 10 | Indiana | $64,930 | $71,000 | $31 | +4.6% | 120 |
| 11 | Utah | $63,620 | $61,970 | $31 | +2.5% | 30 |
| 12 | Iowa | $63,520 | $68,100 | $31 | +2.4% | 30 |
| 13 | Nevada | $63,460 | $53,100 | $31 | +2.3% | 190 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $63,460 | $65,610 | $31 | +2.3% | 60 |
| 15 | Arizona | $63,110 | $59,980 | $30 | +1.7% | 310 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $62,920 | $58,940 | $30 | +1.4% | 40 |
| 17 | Idaho | $60,240 | $57,180 | $29 | -2.9% | 70 |
| 18 | Ohio | $60,010 | $61,460 | $29 | -3.3% | 210 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $58,500 | $56,800 | $28 | -5.7% | 110 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | $58,360 | $60,750 | $28 | -5.9% | 90 |
| 21 | Missouri | $58,070 | $56,720 | $28 | -6.4% | 220 |
| 22 | Nebraska | $58,000 | $61,380 | $28 | -6.5% | 40 |
| 23 | South Carolina | $57,030 | $57,080 | $27 | -8.1% | 150 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $55,000 | $50,400 | $26 | -11.4% | — |
| 25 | Florida | $54,740 | $51,220 | $26 | -11.8% | 710 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $53,830 | $50,120 | $26 | -13.2% | 30 |
| 27 | Georgia | $53,750 | $48,110 | $26 | -13.4% | 220 |
| 28 | Alabama | $51,980 | $52,060 | $25 | -16.2% | 130 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $51,910 | $49,550 | $25 | -16.3% | 50 |
| 30 | Texas | $51,910 | $48,770 | $25 | -16.3% | 650 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $51,560 | $53,400 | $25 | -16.9% | 70 |
| 32 | Michigan | $49,890 | $37,890 | $24 | -19.6% | 100 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $49,540 | $44,970 | $24 | -20.2% | 460 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $49,460 | $49,280 | $24 | -20.3% | 80 |
| 35 | Kansas | $48,580 | $47,100 | $23 | -21.7% | 160 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $44,370 | $42,710 | $21 | -28.5% | 130 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 47 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $92,710 | $85,710 | 190 |
| 2 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $85,100 | $75,710 | 230 |
| 3 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $84,650 | $74,620 | 70 |
| 4 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $81,910 | $75,280 | 750 |
| 5 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $78,640 | $74,400 | 400 |
| 6 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $78,180 | $72,010 | 30 |
| 7 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $77,540 | $68,840 | — |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $75,420 | $74,510 | — |
| 9 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $70,100 | $69,900 | 300 |
| 10 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $67,450 | $70,480 | 50 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing traffic technicianss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $67,290 | $68,630 | 910 |
| 2 | Engineering Services | $67,290 | $68,680 | 910 |
| 3 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $65,670 | $66,760 | 1,000 |
| 4 | Sector 54 - Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $65,670 | $66,760 | 1,000 |
| 5 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $60,700 | $63,660 | 4,400 |
| 6 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $60,700 | $63,660 | 4,400 |
| 7 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $60,610 | $63,110 | 5,660 |
| 8 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $60,610 | $63,110 | 5,670 |
| 9 | Sector 99 - Federal, State, and Local Government, excl. State & Local Schools & Hospitals & USPS | $60,610 | $63,110 | 5,660 |
| 10 | State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $60,270 | $61,180 | 1,260 |
| 11 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $60,270 | $61,180 | 1,270 |
| 12 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $59,090 | $62,050 | 7,860 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do traffic technicians make in the U.S.?
The median traffic technicians salary in the United States is $59,090 per year (mean $62,050), and about 80% earn between $39,090 and $85,130.
How much do traffic technicians make per hour?
Roughly $30 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $62,050 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays traffic technicians the most?
Washington has the highest average pay for traffic technicians at $77,040 per year (median $71,960).
What is the job outlook for traffic technicians?
Employment is projected to change +3.7% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 800 openings per year.