Traffic Technicians Salary
In Iowa, traffic technicians earn $68,100 at the median, or about $32.74 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $76,637 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 23.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Iowa. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $68K get you in Iowa?
About traffic technicians
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What this looks like in Iowa
Iowa sits well above the national pay line for traffic technicians, local pay runs about 15% higher than the U.S. median of $59K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 24.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Iowa offers a genuinely strong financial position for traffic technicianss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level traffic technicians (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $68K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $54K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track traffic technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a traffic technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $68K, rent takes 24.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for traffic technicians in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new traffic technicians typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,164/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Iowa?
Local pay is 15% above the national median — $68K here vs. $59K nationally.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for traffic technicians?
Iowa pays $68K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $77K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do traffic technicians make in Iowa?
The median is $68,100 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,070, and experienced traffic technicians can clear $89,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $68K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,403/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 24.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a traffic technicians salary go in Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (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 $76,637 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.