Salary data is based on the Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ metropolitan area and applied to Elizabeth using local cost-of-living adjustments.

Traffic Technicians Salaries in Elizabeth, NJ

Average Base Pay

$65,833/yr

9% above national average

Monthly

$5,486

Hourly

$32

Cost Index

105

Traffic Technicians in Elizabeth, NJ earn an average of $65,833 per year, with most salaries falling between $52,666 and $79,000 depending on experience, employer, and specialization. At 9% above the national average, Elizabeth ranks among the higher-paying markets for this role, in part reflecting a local cost of living index of 105. For professionals evaluating a move or negotiating an offer, the headline salary is only part of the picture—what matters most is how far that income actually goes once taxes, rent, and daily expenses are factored in. The sections below break that down in full for Elizabeth.

Salary Range

The chart below shows the full compensation spectrum for this role, from entry-level to senior positions. The highlighted center bars represent the 25th–75th percentile band where most professionals are paid.

$49K
Low

$66K
Median

$82K
High

25th percentile: $56K75th percentile: $76K

About Traffic Technicians

Transportation Planners analyze travel patterns, model transportation system performance, and develop plans and policies for improving how people and goods move through urban, suburban, and rural areas. They work for metropolitan planning organizations, state departments of transportation, municipal governments, consulting firms, and transit agencies. The long-range planning function involves developing regional transportation plans that identify major infrastructure investments over a 20-to-30-year horizon, coordinating with local governments and state agencies, and ensuring that plans comply with federal transportation law and air quality requirements. Short-range planning involves programming near-term capital projects, developing transit service plans, and designing bicycle and pedestrian networks. Transportation planners analyze traffic data, conduct travel demand modeling using platforms like TransCAD or Cube, and evaluate the performance impacts of proposed projects. They engage communities through public meetings and comment processes, balancing competing mobility needs across income levels and modes of transportation. Environmental justice—ensuring that transportation investments do not disproportionately burden low-income and minority communities—is a growing analytical responsibility.

What Traffic Technicians Do

Develop long-range regional transportation plans
Conduct traffic studies and travel demand modeling
Analyze land use and transportation system interactions
Evaluate transportation project alternatives for performance and impact
Coordinate with federal, state, and local agencies on planning compliance
Engage the public through meetings, workshops, and comment processes
Program capital projects in Transportation Improvement Programs
Conduct environmental justice analysis of transportation impacts

Key Skills & Qualifications

Travel demand modeling using TransCAD, Cube, or Visum
GIS for transportation data analysis and mapping
Transportation policy knowledge including federal transportation legislation
Traffic engineering fundamentals
Environmental planning and NEPA documentation
Public engagement facilitation
AICP certification from the American Institute of Certified Planners
Data analysis and statistical methods

Career Path

Transportation Analyst
Transportation Planner
Senior Transportation Planner
Principal Planner / Project Manager
Planning Director

Traffic Technicians Market in Elizabeth, NJ

Salary Competitiveness

Elizabeth is one of the stronger-paying markets for Traffic Technicians, with local salaries running approximately 9% above the national median. This premium typically reflects a combination of higher employer competition, concentrated industry presence, and elevated cost expectations built into local compensation norms.

Cost of Living Impact

Elizabeth sits close to the national cost average. Monthly essential expenses represent about 70% of take-home pay for this role—a midrange ratio that allows for modest savings and discretionary spending, provided housing costs remain stable.

Effective Purchasing Power

The purchasing power of $65,833 for a Traffic Technicians in Elizabeth is moderate: enough to meet essential expenses and build incremental savings, but requiring deliberate budgeting to avoid margin erosion—especially as rent and healthcare costs have outpaced wage growth across many mid-tier markets.

vs. National Avg

+9%

Cost Pressure

70%

Purchasing Power

Moderate

Take-Home Pay Calculator

Enter any gross salary to see how federal and state taxes affect your actual take-home pay, broken down by year, month, and week. Results use an estimated effective tax rate of 27% based on this location and income level.

Annual Salary

Take-home (73%)Taxes (27%)

Annual Net

$48,058

Monthly

$4,005

Weekly

$924

Eff. Tax Rate

27%

A gross salary of $65,833 for a Traffic Technicians in Elizabeth translates to roughly $4,005 in monthly take-home pay after estimated federal and state taxes. Set against monthly living costs of $2,815—covering housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare—that leaves approximately $1,190 per month in disposable income. That margin, not the gross number, is what determines whether you can comfortably cover rent, build savings, and afford discretionary spending in Elizabeth's current market.

How far does this salary go in Elizabeth?

Cost of Living in Elizabeth

Estimated monthly expenses for a single person in Elizabeth, benchmarked against US regional price indices for housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare.

Cost Index

105

Above Avg — US average is 100. Based on a single person (1-bed apartment).

🏠Housing / Rent$1,620/mo

🍔Food & Groceries$525/mo

🚗Transportation$150/mo

💡Utilities$205/mo

🏥Healthcare$315/mo

Monthly$2,815

Annual$33,780

Disposable Income$1,190

Financial Reality Check

This section compares estimated monthly take-home pay against typical living costs in Elizabeth to show your real disposable income—the amount remaining after essential bills are paid each month.

Monthly Take-Home

$4,005

Living Costs

$2,815

Disposable

$1,190

Cost Index

105

Lifestyle

Tight

With a monthly take-home of $4,005, your estimated living costs in Elizabeth are $2,815 ($33,780/yr). This leaves $1,190 per month in disposable income, indicating a tight standard of living. Elizabeth's cost of living is 5% above the national average.

Overall, a Traffic Technicians earning $65,833 in Elizabeth falls into a tight lifestyle tier and will need to budget carefully—essential costs consume a significant share of take-home pay, leaving limited room for savings or emergencies. With a cost index of 105, Elizabeth is 5% more expensive than the national average, which compresses real purchasing power. Regardless of tier, prioritizing retirement contributions, an emergency fund of three to six months' expenses, and incremental debt reduction will yield the greatest long-term financial stability—especially as living costs in Elizabeth continue to evolve.