Traffic Technicians Salary
In McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX, traffic technicians earn $35,450 at the median, or about $17.04 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $45K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.89), which stretches that salary to about $41,274 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,060/month, about 41.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $35K get you in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by McAllen-Edinburg-Mission’s Regional Price Parity (85.89). 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission
Pay for traffic technicians in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission runs about 40% below the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,060/month, which is 41.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $57K | $55K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $52K | $53K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $53K | $54K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $46K | $48K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
Entry-level traffic technicians (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $45K or more, a $13K 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a traffic technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 41.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,060/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for traffic technicians in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new traffic technicians typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,911/month. At HUD’s $1,060/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
Local pay runs 40% below the national median — $35K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does McAllen-Edinburg-Mission compare to the national average for traffic technicians?
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -40%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do traffic technicians make in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX?
The median is $35,450 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,850, and experienced traffic technicians can clear $45,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,544/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,060/month, which eats 41.7% 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission has a Regional Price Parity of 85.89 (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 $41,274 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.