Traffic Technician Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of traffic technicians to grow 4.0% from 2025 to 2035 (about 300 more jobs), with about 900 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $59,090 a year ranks 440th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +4.0%
- Openings a year
- 900
- Median pay
- $59,090
- Pay rank
- 440th of 825
Is employment of traffic technicians growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of traffic technicians to rise 4.0% (about 300 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is about the same as the +4.3% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 50 transportation and material moving occupations with a projection. That change ranks 299th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 8,100 |
| Employment, 2035 | 8,400 |
| Projected change | +4.0% |
| Openings a year | 900 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 8,100 jobs here differ from the 7,860 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 900 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 679th most of 830 occupations. About 97% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 30 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for traffic technicians rank?
The median of $59,090 a year ranks 440th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the lower half of occupations on both pay and openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Typical on-the-job training: moderate-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Traffic Controllers | +1.7% | 2,100 | $148,080 |
| Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters | +0.9% | 3,000 | $78,000 |
| Transportation Inspectors | +2.2% | 2,300 | $92,100 |
| Locomotive Engineers | +0.5% | 2,000 | $81,410 |
| Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians | +3.2% | 6,100 | $64,950 |
| Construction and Building Inspectors | 0% | 14,800 | $74,690 |
| Highway Maintenance Workers | +3.4% | 11,800 | $50,260 |
| Surveying and Mapping Technicians | +5.8% | 6,900 | $54,240 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.