Traffic Technicians Salary
In Texas, traffic technicians earn $48,770 at the median, or about $23.45 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.49), which stretches that salary to about $53,306 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,415/month, about 40.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Texas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $49K get you in Texas?
About traffic technicians
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What this looks like in Texas
Pay for traffic technicians in Texas runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,415/month, which is 41.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.49 (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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Texas
Entry-level traffic technicians (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $70K or more, a $32K spread from bottom to top.
Traffic Technicians salary by metro in Texas
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $57K | +17% | 170 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $53K | +9% | 100 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $52K | +6% | 100 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $46K | -6% | 60 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | $35K | -27% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track traffic technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Texas numbers change.
Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a traffic technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Texas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 41.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,415/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for traffic technicians in Texas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new traffic technicians typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,276/month. At HUD’s $1,415/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 Texas?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $49K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Texas compare to the national average for traffic technicians?
Texas pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — below the national median.
How much do traffic technicians make in Texas?
The median is $48,770 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,930, and experienced traffic technicians can clear $69,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Texas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,435/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,415/month, which eats 41.2% 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 Texas?
Texas has a Regional Price Parity of 91.49 (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 $53,306 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.