Post job

Traffic engineering technician vs civil engineer

The differences between traffic engineering technicians and civil engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a traffic engineering technician, becoming a civil engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a civil engineer has an average salary of $70,950, which is higher than the $49,538 average annual salary of a traffic engineering technician.

The top three skills for a traffic engineering technician include traffic control devices, traffic studies and hand tools. The most important skills for a civil engineer are civil 3d, engineering design, and cost estimates.

Traffic engineering technician vs civil engineer overview

Traffic Engineering TechnicianCivil Engineer
Yearly salary$49,538$70,950
Hourly rate$23.82$34.11
Growth rate3%7%
Number of jobs61,69226,803
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 47%Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Average age4441
Years of experience46

Traffic engineering technician vs civil engineer salary

Traffic engineering technicians and civil engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Traffic Engineering TechnicianCivil Engineer
Average salary$49,538$70,950
Salary rangeBetween $33,000 And $73,000Between $51,000 And $97,000
Highest paying City-San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-The Citadel
Best paying industry-Construction

Differences between traffic engineering technician and civil engineer education

There are a few differences between a traffic engineering technician and a civil engineer in terms of educational background:

Traffic Engineering TechnicianCivil Engineer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 47%Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Most common majorCivil EngineeringCivil Engineering
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Traffic engineering technician vs civil engineer demographics

Here are the differences between traffic engineering technicians' and civil engineers' demographics:

Traffic Engineering TechnicianCivil Engineer
Average age4441
Gender ratioMale, 89.8% Female, 10.2%Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 7.1% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5%Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 15.6% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage8%5%

Differences between traffic engineering technician and civil engineer duties and responsibilities

Traffic engineering technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage and distribute cad standards to contributing design consultants and assist with any design issues as necessary.
  • Perform tests on RF and digital electronic assemblies and systems to characterize performance, uncover specification deficiencies and repair damage circuitry.
  • Test an repair uhf, vhf, Am/fm, ssb radios recording devices for a working airport.

Civil engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage production of full sets of contract documents (grading, drainage, water, sewer, paving and SWPPP).
  • Manage project programming requirements and manage HVAC design activities.
  • Project manage the overall reorganizing and restructuring of the telecommunication department.
  • Design engineer and project manager for HVAC, plumbing, and fire protection systems.
  • Support and troubleshoot Hewlett Packard printers, servers, switches, thin clients, and Cisco phone systems.
  • Handle and continuously update project documentation as as-built records and construction record reports.
  • Show more

Traffic engineering technician vs civil engineer skills

Common traffic engineering technician skills
  • Traffic Control Devices, 40%
  • Traffic Studies, 17%
  • Hand Tools, 16%
  • Traffic Counts, 8%
  • GPS, 8%
  • GIS, 7%
Common civil engineer skills
  • Civil 3D, 11%
  • Engineering Design, 7%
  • Cost Estimates, 7%
  • Project Management, 6%
  • Construction Projects, 4%
  • Engineering Projects, 4%

Browse transportation jobs