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Traffic operator salary
Average traffic operator salary
$36,610
Average Traffic Operator Salary
The average salary for a traffic operator in the United States is approximately $36,610 per year, translating to around $18 per hour. Salary expectations can vary significantly based on factors such as location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which one is employed.
Where Can a Traffic Operator Earn More?
States that typically offer higher salaries for traffic operators include California, New York, and Texas. In addition, traffic operators in urban areas often earn more due to higher demand and cost of living considerations.
Traffic Operator Salary Estimates from Across the Web
Online salary databases provide insights into the earnings potential of traffic operators across various sectors. For example, traffic operators in the transportation sector may see different pay scales compared to those in municipal services.
Average Traffic Operator Salary by State
Understanding average salaries by state can help job seekers identify where opportunities may exist. Research indicates that salaries can vary widely, often reflecting the economic conditions of the respective states.
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Where can a Traffic Operator earn more?
Traffic operator salary estimates from across the web
Average traffic operator salary by state
The average traffic operator salary in Washington, Illinois, and Alaska are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average traffic operator salary states are Alabama, Louisiana, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for traffic operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | $40,921 | $19.67 |
| 2 | Kansas | $41,954 | $20.17 |
| 3 | Nevada | $39,771 | $19.12 |
| 4 | Washington | $47,220 | $22.70 |
| 5 | Wyoming | $37,971 | $18.26 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $40,906 | $19.67 |
| 7 | Oregon | $41,345 | $19.88 |
| 8 | Alaska | $42,484 | $20.43 |
| 9 | Illinois | $43,785 | $21.05 |
| 10 | Idaho | $40,422 | $19.43 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $37,801 | $18.17 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $38,814 | $18.66 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $36,894 | $17.74 |
| 14 | Nebraska | $36,867 | $17.72 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $37,997 | $18.27 |
| 16 | Montana | $38,118 | $18.33 |
| 17 | Arizona | $36,811 | $17.70 |
| 18 | Indiana | $37,358 | $17.96 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $37,630 | $18.09 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $37,788 | $18.17 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $37,549 | $18.05 |
| 22 | District of Columbia | $36,666 | $17.63 |
| 23 | New York | $40,637 | $19.54 |
| 24 | Iowa | $37,149 | $17.86 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $38,104 | $18.32 |
| 26 | Arkansas | $35,708 | $17.17 |
| 27 | Delaware | $37,329 | $17.95 |
| 28 | Texas | $35,177 | $16.91 |
| 29 | Maine | $37,456 | $18.01 |
| 30 | Vermont | $37,547 | $18.05 |
| 31 | New Hampshire | $37,463 | $18.01 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $34,955 | $16.81 |
| 33 | Colorado | $35,507 | $17.07 |
| 34 | Ohio | $35,122 | $16.89 |
| 35 | Maryland | $34,731 | $16.70 |
| 36 | Missouri | $35,383 | $17.01 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $33,358 | $16.04 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $34,246 | $16.46 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $33,528 | $16.12 |
| 40 | Virginia | $33,185 | $15.95 |
| 41 | North Dakota | $34,426 | $16.55 |
| 42 | California | $34,016 | $16.35 |
| 43 | Georgia | $30,332 | $14.58 |
| 44 | Michigan | $34,171 | $16.43 |
| 45 | Utah | $33,185 | $15.95 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $30,537 | $14.68 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $32,951 | $15.84 |
| 48 | Alabama | $32,587 | $15.67 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $30,480 | $14.65 |
| 50 | Florida | $28,406 | $13.66 |
| 51 | Tennessee | $30,353 | $14.59 |
Highest paying cities for traffic operators
The highest-paying cities for traffic operators are Topeka, KS, Syracuse, NY, and Raleigh, NC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Topeka, KS | $42,223 | $20.30 |
| 2 | Syracuse, NY | $40,620 | $19.53 |
| 3 | Raleigh, NC | $39,003 | $18.75 |
| 4 | Harrisburg, PA | $37,654 | $18.10 |
| 5 | Winona, MN | $37,255 | $17.91 |
| 6 | El Paso, TX | $37,140 | $17.86 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $36,983 | $17.78 |
| 8 | Omaha, NE | $36,865 | $17.72 |
| 9 | Kansas City, MO | $35,747 | $17.19 |
| 10 | Colorado Springs, CO | $35,240 | $16.94 |
| 11 | Los Angeles, CA | $33,706 | $16.20 |
| 12 | Lynchburg, VA | $33,026 | $15.88 |
| 13 | Greenville, SC | $31,188 | $14.99 |
| 14 | Pensacola, FL | $30,707 | $14.76 |
| 15 | Atlanta, GA | $30,606 | $14.71 |
| 16 | Baton Rouge, LA | $30,446 | $14.64 |
Traffic operator salary details
A traffic operator's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $53,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a traffic operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $53,000 | $4,417 | $25 |
| 75th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| Average | $36,610 | $3,051 | $18 |
| 25th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
Highest paying traffic operator jobs
The highest paying types of traffic operators are marine service manager, transportation consultant, and transportation manager.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fleet Manager | $49,492 | $4,124 | $23.79 | 14,157 |
| Airport Manager | $42,405 | $3,534 | $20.39 | 5,664 |
| Terminal Manager | $74,237 | $6,186 | $35.69 | 16,792 |
| Transportation Manager | $77,378 | $6,448 | $37.20 | 25,248 |
| Transportation Director | $51,314 | $4,276 | $24.67 | 23,622 |
| Transportation Officer | $50,972 | $4,248 | $24.51 | 75,504 |
Top companies hiring traffic operators now:
Which companies pay traffic operators the most?
Traffic operator salaries at Trafigura and AECOM are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average traffic operator salary at companies like Analog Devices and Kimley-Horn are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trafigura | $57,248 | $27.52 |
| 2 | AECOM | $50,386 | $24.22 |
| 3 | Analog Devices | $49,904 | $23.99 |
| 4 | Kimley-Horn | $45,522 | $21.89 |
| 5 | Fastenal | $44,913 | $21.59 |
| 6 | Parsons | $43,895 | $21.10 |
| 7 | Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania | $43,287 | $20.81 |
| 8 | HNTB | $43,164 | $20.75 |
| 9 | HDR | $42,562 | $20.46 |
| 10 | City of Topeka | $42,224 | $20.30 |
| 11 | Gannett Fleming | $41,425 | $19.92 |
| 12 | Live Nation Entertainment | $40,606 | $19.52 |
| 13 | Serco | $39,315 | $18.90 |
| 14 | State of West Virginia | $38,648 | $18.58 |
| 15 | House of Blues | $37,895 | $18.22 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania State Treasurer | $37,595 | $18.07 |
| 17 | Serco | $37,595 | $18.07 |
| 18 | Pixelogic Media | $37,595 | $18.07 |
| 19 | Roy Jorgensen Associates | $37,590 | $18.07 |
| 20 | State of Arizona | $37,129 | $17.85 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Traffic Operator salary by industry
The average traffic operator salary varies across industries:
- The average traffic operator salary in the finance industry is $57,245, the highest of any industry.
- The average traffic operator salary in the finance industry is $43,112.
- Traffic operators in the technology industry earn an average salary of $39,370, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for traffic operators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $57,245 | $27.52 |
| 2 | Professional | $43,112 | $20.73 |
| 3 | Telecommunication | $40,205 | $19.33 |
| 4 | Government | $39,895 | $19.18 |
| 5 | Technology | $39,370 | $18.93 |
High paying traffic operator jobs
Traffic operator salary trends
The average traffic operator salary has risen by $5,898 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average traffic operator earned $30,712 annually, but today, they earn $36,610 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for traffic operators over the last decade.
Compare traffic operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average traffic operator salary over time
Compare traffic operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Traffic operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $36,600 | $17.60 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $35,900 | $17.27 | -0.2% |
| 2023 | $36,000 | $17.30 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $35,100 | $16.88 | +3.5% |
| 2021 | $33,900 | $16.29 | +2.9% |
Recently added traffic operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aecom | Onsite Traffic Monitoring Operator/Traffic Management Center | Ankeny, IA | 06/26/2025 | $45,914 |
| Aecom | Traffic Monitoring Operator/Call Center-2Nd and/or 3Rd Shifts Available | Atlanta, GA | 06/23/2025 | $40,383 |
| Aecom | Traffic Monitoring Operator I | Pompano Beach, FL | 06/14/2025 | $39,653 |
| Bae Systems | MH4-Traffic | Nashua, NH | 06/12/2025 | $54,220 |
| Kapsch | Traffic Management Center Dispatcher/Operator-Lee's | Kansas City, MO | 06/11/2025 | $38,693 |
| Aecom | Traffic Monitoring Operator | Virginia Beach, VA | 06/10/2025 | $45,914 |
| Campbell's | Traffic Support Operator-Swing Shift | Richmond, UT | 06/05/2025 | $45,914 |
| Elizabeth River Tunnels | Traffic Monitoring Operator | Portsmouth, VA | 05/28/2025 | $41,740 |
| Kapsch | Traffic Management Center Dispatcher/Operator-Lee's | Kansas City, MO | 05/28/2025 | $38,693 |
| Aecom | Onsite Traffic Monitoring Operator/Traffic Management Center | Ankeny, IA | 05/26/2025 | $45,914 |
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