Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 53-6041

Traffic Technicians

Median pay sits 27% below the mid peer in Transportation and Material Moving Occupations (neighbors include Commercial Pilots, Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers, Ship Engineers, Wellhead Pumpers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Traffic Technicians: Commercial Pilots ($123K) , Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers ($62K) , Ship Engineers ($110K) , Wellhead Pumpers ($70K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Traffic Technicians publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 53-6041 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Analyze data related to traffic flow, accident rates, or proposed development to determine the most efficient methods to expedite traffic…
  2. 2. Prepare work orders for repair, maintenance, or changes in traffic systems
  3. 3. Plan, design, and improve components of traffic control systems to accommodate current or projected traffic and to increase usability and…
  4. 4. Compute time settings for traffic signals or speed restrictions, using standard formulas
  5. 5. Prepare drawings of proposed signal installations or other control devices, using drafting instruments or computer-automated drafting equ…
  6. 6. Study factors affecting traffic conditions, such as lighting or sign and marking visibility, to assess their effectiveness
  7. 7. Gather and compile data from hand count sheets, machine count tapes, or radar speed checks and code data for computer input
  8. 8. Measure and record the speed of vehicular traffic, using electrical timing devices or radar equipment
  9. 9. Lay out pavement markings for striping crews
  10. 10. Provide technical supervision regarding traffic control devices to other traffic technicians or laborers
  11. 11. Operate counters and record data to assess the volume, type, and movement of vehicular or pedestrian traffic at specified times
  12. 12. Place and secure automatic counters, using power tools, and retrieve counters after counting periods end

Traffic Technicians: O*NET ranks Active Listening first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 53-6041 - lead skill Active Listening at 3.6 ; lead knowledge Public Safety and Security. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Active Listening 3.6
  2. 2. Reading Comprehension 3.3
  3. 3. Speaking 3.3
  4. 4. Critical Thinking 3.3
  5. 5. Complex Problem Solving 3.3
  6. 6. Judgment and Decision Making 3.3
  7. 7. Writing 3.1
  8. 8. Monitoring 3.1

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Public Safety and Security 3.9
  2. 2. Computers and Electronics 3.9
  3. 3. Transportation 3.9
  4. 4. English Language 3.6
  5. 5. Engineering and Technology 3.5
  6. 6. Law and Government 3.3
Pay vs Transportation and Material Moving Occupations peers
-27%
vs mid peer median $81,410
This role $59,090/yr
$59K
National median
↑ +4%
Growth 2024-2034
800
Annual openings
7,860
Estimated US jobs
Commercial Pilots
Highest-pay peer · $123K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Traffic Technicians

1. Washington $71,960
2. California $79,110
3. New Jersey $64,240
4. Indiana $71,000
5. Massachusetts $63,780
6. Pennsylvania $65,610
7. Illinois $70,970
8. Minnesota $77,810
9. New York $71,670
10. Iowa $68,100

Other Transportation and Material Moving Occupations titles

  1. 1. Ship Engineers $109,530
  2. 2. Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers $61,770
  3. 3. Wellhead Pumpers $69,960
  4. 4. Commercial Pilots $123,220
  5. 5. First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors $62,890
  6. 6. Subway and Streetcar Operators $86,380

Among Transportation and Material Moving Occupations peers on this card, Traffic Technicians sits 27% below the mid peer median ($81,410). Its own median is $59,090.

Employment Projections expect +4% change between 2024 and 2034 (about as fast as average vs baseline 3.1%). About 800 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Washington at $71,960. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Commercial Pilots at $123,220. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Traffic Technicians pay-rank #18 in Transportation and Material Moving Occupations

Traffic Technicians sits at pay-rank #18 of 50 detailed Transportation and Material Moving Occupations, the middle third of the major-group median table. ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.

Other mid-table titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 53-6041 · national median $59,090 · middle third of Transportation and Material Moving Occupations (#18/50). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Traffic Technicians salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 53-6041

Washington · top state for Traffic Technicians

$72K published median

California · #2 state pay

$79K · behind Washington

Commercial Pilots

Highest-pay peer vs Traffic Technicians · $123K

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

Lower-pay peer beside Traffic Technicians · $62K

Compare Traffic Technicians

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Traffic Technicians with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Traffic Technicians

Against another occupation

Commercial Pilots card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Traffic Technicians mid-table among Transportation and Material Moving Occupations? ▼
Yes: pay-rank #18 of 50 detailed Transportation and Material Moving Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity ($59K), Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders ($59K), Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers ($59K), Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors ($58K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What do traffic technicians do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Traffic Technicians. Leading ones include: Analyze data related to traffic flow, accident rates, or proposed development to determine the most efficient methods to expedite traffic…; 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…; Compute time settings for traffic signals or speed restrictions, using standard formulas. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for traffic technicians? ▼
For SOC 53-6041, O*NET importance scores lead with Active Listening (3.6), Reading Comprehension (3.3), Speaking (3.3), Critical Thinking (3.3). Knowledge areas emphasize Public Safety and Security, Computers and Electronics, Transportation. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Traffic Technicians? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $59,090 as the national median for Traffic Technicians. The published 10th-90th range is $39,090 to $85,130. Beside Commercial Pilots ($123,220), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Traffic Technicians? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Traffic Technicians is +4%. Projected annual openings: about 800. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: about as fast as average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Traffic Technicians? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Traffic Technicians. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Traffic Technicians? ▼
Washington ($71,960), California ($79,110), New Jersey ($64,240) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Traffic Technicians card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 53-6041. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Traffic Technicians. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics