Traffic Technicians Salary
In Louisiana, traffic technicians earn $42,710 at the median, or about $20.54 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $48,934 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,191/month, about 40.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $43K get you in Louisiana?
About traffic technicians
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for traffic technicians in Louisiana runs about 28% below the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,191/month, which is 40.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level traffic technicians (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Traffic Technicians salary by metro in Louisiana
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $44K | +4% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track traffic technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a traffic technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 40.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/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 Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new traffic technicians typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,143/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 Louisiana?
Local pay runs 28% below the national median — $43K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for traffic technicians?
Louisiana pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do traffic technicians make in Louisiana?
The median is $42,710 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,720, and experienced traffic technicians can clear $55,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,922/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 40.8% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $48,934 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.