What does a Traffic Technician do?

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 is the salary of a Traffic Technician?

The typical salary range is $40,936 - $81,872 per year.

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Automotive, Aviation, & MaritimeStable

Traffic Technician

Operational-level

Also known as: Collection Technician, Field Traffic Investigator, Highway Traffic Control Technician, Pavement Engineer

Automotive, Aviation, & MaritimeBachelor's Degree

Job Description

As a Traffic Technician, you conduct field studies to gather data on how vehicles move. You'll measure traffic volume, speed, and assess the effectiveness of signals and street lighting. Working outdoors and collaborating with a team, you communicate your findings to traffic engineers to help improve road conditions. This role suits someone observant, analytical, and effective at both speaking and writing, who enjoys solving practical problems in urban and road environments.

Traffic EngineeringTransportation PlanningTraffic ManagementCivil Engineering (Traffic)EngineeringData AnalysisUrban PlanningLogisticsAutomotive

Skills employers are looking for in 2027

Software and technologies flagged by O*NET as Hot or In-Demand for this role.

Hot technologies

Autodesk AutoCAD Bentley MicroStation C++ESRI ArcGIS software Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Windows Microsoft Word Oracle Database Python R SAS Salesforce software Tableau The MathWorks MATLAB

In-demand software

Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office software

Job Outlook 2025-2035

Projected growth

+4%

US average: +3.5%

Job openings

900

per year (US)

Jobs today

8,100

in 2025 → 8,400 (2035)

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections; O*NET Bright Outlook.

Work Environment

How this work is typically performed, based on O*NET work context data.

Email & digital communication

High

Working in a team

High

Contact with others

High

Freedom to make decisions

High

Time pressure

Moderate

Time spent sitting

Moderate

Working outdoors

High

Indoor, climate-controlled

High

Dealing with customers

High

Level of competition

Moderate

Source: O*NET Work Context (v31.0)

Future Perspective

Stable Job Market

The job outlook for Traffic Technicians is stable through 2035, with modest growth projected at 4.0% and about 900 openings each year. The median annual wage is $59,090, and you can advance into roles like Traffic Engineer or Urban Planner.

Career ladder

Often before this role

Field Assistant
Construction Worker
Road Maintenance Technician

Traffic Technician

Where it can lead

Traffic Engineer
Urban Planner
Transportation Analyst

Impact of AI on this Job

AI and machine learning will increasingly automate data collection and analysis tasks for traffic technicians. Predictive analytics will assist in identifying congestion patterns and optimizing signal timings, reducing the need for manual field studies. Technicians will shift towards managing AI systems, validating data, and implementing AI-driven solutions rather than solely conducting physical observations.

Salary

$59,090

Median annual wage, BLS 2025

Required Education

Bachelor's Degree

Minimum educational requirement for this position