What Do Traffic Control Technicians Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for traffic control technicians?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what traffic control technicians do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Traffic Control Technicians Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about traffic control technicians by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Traffic Control Technicians all social scientists and related workers not listed separately.
Popular Job Titles For Traffic Control Technicians
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Transportation Planners
- Research Analysts
- Traffic Control Technicians
- Transportation Analysts
- Transportation Technicians
- Research Associates
- Research Technicians
- Research Scientists
- Transit Planners
- Research Specialists
- Transportation Operations Specialists
- Transportation Planning Managers
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for traffic control technicians can be found.
Best Industries for Traffic Control Technicians
Traffic Control Technicians Jobs By Industry
- Federal Government, Civilian: 57.6%
- Scientific Research and Development Services: 9.4%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 9%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 4.3%
- Federal Government, Military: 3.9%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 3.5%
- Other: 12.3%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of traffic control technicians can be found working in the Federal Government, Civilian sector. In 2022, about 57.6% of all jobs for traffic control technicians were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Scientific Research and Development Services (9.4%), Education and Hospitals (State Government) (9%), State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (4.3%), Federal Government, Military (3.9%) and Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (3.5%).
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What Do Traffic Control Technicians Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what traffic control technicians do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work traffic control technicians do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that traffic control technicians tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for traffic control technicians, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Traffic Control Technicians
Based on 16,545 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Traffic Control Technicians
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | 5,204 | 31% |
| Data Analysis | 3,447 | 21% |
| Project Management | 3,144 | 19% |
| Transportation Planning | 2,687 | 16% |
| Statistics | 2,631 | 16% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Traffic Control Technicians
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Research | 8,943 | 54% |
| Communications | 6,706 | 41% |
| Writing | 5,526 | 33% |
| Planning | 4,858 | 29% |
| Management | 4,695 | 28% |
Based on 16,545 job postings related to traffic control technicians, economics was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 31% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for data analysis, project management, transportation planning, statistics and data collection were also highly sought.
As for common skills, research was the most desired skill found in job postings for traffic control technicians, followed by communications, writing, planning, management and presentations.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Economics | 5,204 | 31% |
| Data Analysis | 3,447 | 21% |
| Project Management | 3,144 | 19% |
| Transportation Planning | 2,687 | 16% |
| Statistics | 2,631 | 16% |
| Data Collection | 2,267 | 14% |
| Finance | 1,986 | 12% |
| R (Programming Language) | 1,952 | 12% |
| Python (Programming Language) | 1,668 | 10% |
| Marketing | 1,663 | 10% |
| Traffic Control | 1,606 | 10% |
| Geographic Information Systems | 1,500 | 9% |
| SAS (Software) | 1,337 | 8% |
| Computer Science | 1,269 | 8% |
| SQL (Programming Language) | 1,268 | 8% |
| Statistical Analysis | 1,253 | 8% |
| Business Development | 1,231 | 7% |
| Public Policies | 1,228 | 7% |
| Stata | 1,157 | 7% |
| Urban Planning | 1,130 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Research | 8,943 | 54% |
| Communications | 6,706 | 41% |
| Writing | 5,526 | 33% |
| Planning | 4,858 | 29% |
| Management | 4,695 | 28% |
| Presentations | 4,219 | 26% |
| Operations | 3,824 | 23% |
| Microsoft Excel | 3,067 | 19% |
| Detail Oriented | 2,612 | 16% |
| Leadership | 2,577 | 16% |
| Coordinating | 2,552 | 15% |
| Problem Solving | 2,369 | 14% |
| Customer Service | 2,256 | 14% |
| Microsoft Office | 2,134 | 13% |
| Mathematics | 2,036 | 12% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 1,888 | 11% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 1,859 | 11% |
| Forecasting | 1,828 | 11% |
| Innovation | 1,671 | 10% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 1,565 | 9% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Traffic Control Technicians
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation Planners | 6,001 | 22.9% |
| Research Analysts | 3,138 | 12% |
| Traffic Control Technicians | 3,128 | 11.9% |
| Transportation Analysts | 2,115 | 8.1% |
| Transportation Technicians | 2,274 | 8.7% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was transportation planners, with 2,750 unique job postings. Research analysts were second, with 907 postings, followed by traffic control technicians, transportation analysts and transportation technicians.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to traffic control technicians.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation Planners | 6,001 | 22.9% |
| Research Analysts | 3,138 | 12% |
| Traffic Control Technicians | 3,128 | 11.9% |
| Transportation Analysts | 2,115 | 8.1% |
| Transportation Technicians | 2,274 | 8.7% |
| Research Associates | 1,589 | 6.1% |
| Research Technicians | 2,054 | 7.8% |
| Research Scientists | 736 | 2.8% |
| Transit Planners | 621 | 2.4% |
| Research Specialists | 1,202 | 4.6% |
| Transportation Operations Specialists | 473 | 1.8% |
| Transportation Planning Managers | 370 | 1.4% |
| Traffic Technicians | 480 | 1.8% |
| Research Data Analysts | 491 | 1.9% |
| Traffic Analysts | 383 | 1.5% |
| Transportation Consultants | 258 | 1% |
| Transportation Designers | 275 | 1% |
| Economic Research Analysts | 184 | 0.7% |
| Investment Research Analysts | 264 | 1% |
| Summer Analysts | 165 | 0.6% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for traffic control technicians? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for traffic control technicians.
How much do traffic control technicians make?
Traffic Control Technicians: How do you become one?
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