How To Become A Flagger: What It Is and Career Path

What is a flagger and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Flaggers are hired by government agencies or construction companies to control the flow of traffic around road construction sites. They set up warning signs, including positioning traffic cones and barricades. Similarly, they may use hand signals to direct traffic. They inform the construction crew of any safety standards. Besides that, they communicate with other flaggers using hand-held radios to direct two-way traffic into a single lane. Moreover, they remove all signs, barricades, and traffic cones after the completion of construction work. Also, they help the construction crew with removing rubble, debris, and hazardous materials.

The minimum educational requirement for this position is a high school diploma. Applicants must have a certification from the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA). Most companies provide on-the-job training. You must possess organization, observation, communication, interpersonal, mechanical, and problem-solving skills. You must also be familiar with state traffic regulations. Salary ranges between $20,000 and $34,000 with an average salary of $26,273.

ScoreFlaggerUS Average

Salary

2.3

Avg. Salary $29,484

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.9

Growth rate 1%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.43%

Asian 2.82%

Black or African American 10.38%

Hispanic or Latino 14.23%

Unknown 4.66%

White 66.49%

Gender

female 35.95%

male 64.05%

Age - 56

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 56

Stress level

6.9

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

4.9

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

10.0

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a flagger

Explore flagger education requirements

Most common flagger degrees

High School Diploma

55.1 %

Diploma

16.3 %

Associate

12.7 %

Start to develop specific flagger skills

Skills	Percentages
Work Ethic	18.53%
Safety Rules	14.39%
Construction Sites	13.06%
Direct Traffic	7.94%
Vehicular Traffic	6.10%

Complete relevant flagger training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New flaggers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a flagger based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real flagger resumes.

Gain additional flagger certifications

Flagger certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific flagger certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for flaggers include Flagger (Instructor) and OSHA Safety Certificate .

More About Certifications

Research flagger duties and responsibilities

Learn the location and purpose of street traffic signs within assign patrol areas
Test an repair uhf, vhf, Am/fm, ssb radios recording devices for a working airport.
Scan the CCTV's on the interstate system.
Maintain traffic control to ATSSA standards.

Prepare your flagger resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your flagger resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a flagger resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable flagger resume templates

Build a professional flagger resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your flagger resume.