Traffic Flagger Salary in California

$24/hr

California employee wage ranges help you assess flagging offers across highway construction, utility work and specialist contracting assignments.

Change trade or state

What Traffic Flaggers Earn in California

California employee wages for Crossing Guards and Flaggers span $16.96–$39.15/hr, or $35,270–$81,440 a year. The occupation includes crossing guards as well as construction flaggers, so these figures cover more than work-zone assignments. Premium pay and benefits are excluded. For a roadwork offer, compare the hourly range with scheduled station hours, paid preparation, travel between assigned sites and the arrangements for covering breaks.

Hourly rates by level in California

What each rung of the trade is paid, before overtime and per diem.

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$16.96–$18.27/hr
▲ 2.61% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$18.27–$36.12/hr
▲ 2.61% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$36.12–$39.15/hr
▲ 2.61% from last year

Find Traffic Flagger jobs in California.

Browse open jobs

Where do you stand?

Enter your hourly rate to see how it compares to other traffic flaggers in California.

What are you making?

Type your hourly rate. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere — it stays in your browser.

$/ hr

Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.

You're right around the middle

$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.

10th
$18
25th
$23
Median
$29
75th
$36
90th
$45
YOU · $28.00
Your percentile
46th
Among this market
Your annual · 40 hrs
$58,240
Before overtime and per diem
Gap to median
−$2,080
Below the median

Calculate pay with extra credentials

Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.

1Your level

2Certifications you hold

3Shift & work type

4Overtime & per diem

Weekly overtime hours8 hrs
Per diem (per day away)$0

An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.

American RecruitsEstimate
Journeyman Traffic Flagger
California · Day Shift
Base rate$27.20
+ SoCal Laborers Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$4.83
+ OSHA 30-Hour Construction$2.18
+ ATSSA Traffic Control Supervisor (California)$1.16
Effective hourly$35.37
Straight · 40 hrs$1,415
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$424
Weekly gross$1,839
Annualised · 50 weeks
$91,949
8 OT hrs/week · California

Who pays the most in California

These national construction-sector figures narrow the occupation's broad wage picture. Compare each work setting with the California assignment offered.

01 / 03$24.12/hr

Other Specialty Trade Contractors

Site preparation and demolition contractors bring flaggers alongside truck movements and changing entrances. Ask who coordinates vehicle access with passing traffic.

+ Varied operations
+ Crew coordination
– Moving entrances
– Equipment exposure
02 / 03$22.01/hr

Utility System Construction

Pipe and line construction puts flaggers beside excavations and service access. Discuss station moves as the crew advances along the roadway.

+ Utility projects
+ Field teamwork
– Excavation interfaces
– Changing stations
03 / 03$21.40/hr

Highway and Bridge Construction

Road resurfacing and bridge approaches require coordinated traffic releases around active construction. Ask how closure windows affect shift length and relief.

+ Roadwork experience
+ Coordinated crews
– Traffic exposure
– Outdoor shifts

Which states pay traffic flaggers the most

Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.

  1. 01Californiathis page$24.33/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
SoCal Laborers Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$4.83$10,046$00 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$2.18$4,534$1592 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.73$1,518$593 weeks
ATSSA Traffic Control Supervisor (California)+$1.16$2,413$3909 weeks
ATSSA Flagger Certification+$0.29$603$12511 weeks
American Red Cross Adult First Aid/CPR/AED+$0.15$312$10217 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $24.33/hr.

40 hr week
$973
No OT
50 hr week
$1,338
+$18,247/yr
60 hr week
$1,703
+$36,495/yr
70 hr week
$2,068
+$54,742/yr

Questions workers ask

Am I paid if a lane closure is canceled after I arrive?▾
Yes, usually. IWC Wage Order 16, enforced by DIR's Labor Commissioner, requires reporting time pay for half your scheduled day, at least two and at most four hours. Exceptions include civil authority recommendations, utility failures and causes outside the employer's control.
When does construction overtime start?▾
DIR's Labor Commissioner says overtime generally starts after eight hours daily or 40 weekly for nonexempt employees. Alternative workweeks and qualifying collective agreements have special provisions. Keep daily records of required preparation and flagging duty so payroll reflects the hours worked.
Which wage applies on public works?▾
Covered California public works use the applicable DIR prevailing wage determination and work classification. Ask which determination covers your flagging duties and location. The statewide employee ranges and national sector figures do not replace that project obligation.

See Open Traffic Flagger Jobs in California

Verified positions matching this trade and location.

See Open JobsBuild My Profile — Free

Current BLS California employee wages for Crossing Guards and Flaggers, SOC 33-9091; includes crossing guards beyond construction flagging, excludes premium pay and benefits.

Last updated October 23, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.