Traffic Technicians Salary
In Chattanooga, TN-GA, traffic technicians earn $44,690 at the median, or about $21.49 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.46), which stretches that salary to about $48,863 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,390/month, about 43.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K get you in Chattanooga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chattanooga’s Regional Price Parity (91.46). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About traffic technicians
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What this looks like in Chattanooga
Pay for traffic technicians in Chattanooga runs about 24% below the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,390/month, which is 44% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for traffic technicianss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for traffic technicians in metros near Chattanooga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | $44K | $48K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $48K | $49K |
| Memphis | $45K | $49K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $50K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chattanooga, TN-GA
Entry-level traffic technicians (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $17K spread from bottom to top.
Traffic Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Traffic Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $79K | +34% | 1,250 |
| Minnesota | $78K | +32% | 60 |
| Washington | $72K | +22% | 70 |
| New York | $72K | +21% | 950 |
| Indiana | $71K | +20% | 120 |
| Illinois | $71K | +20% | 40 |
| Iowa | $68K | +15% | 30 |
| Pennsylvania | $66K | +11% | 60 |
| New Jersey | $64K | +9% | 110 |
| Massachusetts | $64K | +8% | 90 |
| Virginia | $62K | +5% | 90 |
| Utah | $62K | +5% | 30 |
| Ohio | $61K | +4% | 210 |
| Nebraska | $61K | +4% | 40 |
| Oklahoma | $61K | +3% | 90 |
| Maryland | $61K | +3% | 140 |
| Arizona | $60K | +2% | 310 |
| Wisconsin | $59K | -0% | 40 |
| Idaho | $57K | -3% | 70 |
| South Carolina | $57K | -3% | 150 |
| North Carolina | $57K | -4% | 110 |
| Missouri | $57K | -4% | 220 |
| West Virginia | $53K | -10% | 70 |
| Nevada | $53K | -10% | 190 |
| Alabama | $52K | -12% | 130 |
| Florida | $51K | -13% | 710 |
| Connecticut | $50K | -15% | N/A |
| Wyoming | $50K | -15% | 30 |
| Arkansas | $50K | -16% | 50 |
| New Mexico | $49K | -17% | 80 |
| Texas | $49K | -17% | 650 |
| Georgia | $48K | -19% | 220 |
| Kansas | $47K | -20% | 160 |
| Tennessee | $45K | -24% | 460 |
| Louisiana | $43K | -28% | 130 |
| Michigan | $38K | -36% | 100 |
Showing 1–10 of 36 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track traffic technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chattanooga numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a traffic technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chattanooga?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 44% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,390/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for traffic technicians in Chattanooga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new traffic technicians typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,633/month. At HUD’s $1,390/month FMR, rent would take 53% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is traffic technician a high-paying job in Chattanooga?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $45K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Chattanooga compare to the national average for traffic technicians?
Chattanooga pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do traffic technicians make in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median is $44,690 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,880, and experienced traffic technicians can clear $60,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Chattanooga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,162/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,390/month, which eats 44% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a traffic technicians salary go in Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has a Regional Price Parity of 91.46 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median traffic technicians salary is worth about $48,863 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do traffic technicians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.