Highway Maintenance Worker salary in the U.S.
Highway Maintenance Workers in the U.S. earn a median of $50,260 a year ($24.16 an hour), based on BLS data for 154,960 workers.
Pay ranges from $36,230 for the lowest-paid 10% to $71,970 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $53,080, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for highway maintenance workers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,230 | $17.42 |
| 25th percentile | $43,500 | $20.91 |
| Median | $50,260 | $24.16 |
| 75th percentile | $61,040 | $29.35 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $71,970 | $34.60 |
| Average (mean) | $53,080 | $25.52 |
Half of highway maintenance workers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $4,188.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,094.17 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,933.08 |
| Weekly | $966.54 |
| Hourly | $24.16 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Highway Maintenance Worker salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $65,330 | 1,650 |
| Washington | $65,300 | 2,590 |
| Connecticut | $64,870 | 2,130 |
| Minnesota | $63,150 | 4,610 |
| Illinois | $61,700 | 10,790 |
| Massachusetts | $61,500 | 2,000 |
| Montana | $60,960 | 1,140 |
| North Dakota | $60,630 | 1,240 |
| California | $59,580 | 8,150 |
| Iowa | $58,490 | 4,000 |
| Vermont | $58,460 | 1,170 |
| Wisconsin | $58,000 | 6,000 |
| Rhode Island | $57,950 | 620 |
| Utah | $55,970 | 1,240 |
| New York | $55,210 | 13,820 |
| Alaska | $54,090 | 50 |
| Michigan | $53,750 | 5,230 |
| Colorado | $52,350 | 1,990 |
| Idaho | $52,050 | 1,340 |
| New Jersey | $51,720 | 4,850 |
| New Hampshire | $51,050 | 1,230 |
| Arizona | $50,850 | 1,410 |
| Virginia | $50,800 | 3,400 |
| Nevada | $49,320 | 990 |
| Maine | $49,030 | 1,620 |
| Maryland | $49,030 | 620 |
| Ohio | $48,880 | 6,070 |
| Nebraska | $48,650 | 2,580 |
| South Dakota | $48,610 | 1,800 |
| Indiana | $48,480 | 4,380 |
| Wyoming | $48,190 | 820 |
| South Carolina | $48,130 | 2,290 |
| North Carolina | $47,880 | 3,750 |
| New Mexico | $47,740 | 1,470 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,690 | 11,140 |
| Missouri | $47,470 | 5,470 |
| Tennessee | $46,070 | 2,280 |
| Kansas | $46,050 | 1,960 |
| Texas | $45,540 | 6,630 |
| Delaware | $45,450 | 90 |
| West Virginia | $45,260 | 730 |
| Louisiana | $44,790 | 1,050 |
| Florida | $42,210 | 2,530 |
| Kentucky | $40,400 | 3,030 |
| Oklahoma | $38,840 | 3,180 |
| Georgia | $37,560 | 1,980 |
| Alabama | $37,430 | 2,730 |
| Arkansas | $35,740 | 860 |
| Mississippi | $35,120 | 4,160 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,840 | 2,730 |
Best-paying metro areas for highway maintenance workers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $79,000 | 360 |
| Vallejo, CA | $76,510 | 100 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $76,220 | 4,110 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $75,030 | 820 |
| Kankakee, IL | $73,080 | 100 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $72,910 | 90 |
| Springfield, IL | $71,320 | 180 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $71,140 | 80 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $68,720 | 130 |
| Albany, OR | $68,600 | 40 |
| Napa, CA | $66,830 | 60 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $66,550 | 90 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $66,310 | 810 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $66,080 | 80 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $65,730 | 290 |
Metro areas with the most highway maintenance workers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 6,800 | $60,280 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 4,110 | $76,220 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 3,450 | $43,890 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 2,330 | $58,540 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 2,270 | $49,710 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 1,960 | $52,160 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,860 | $63,650 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 1,750 | $49,280 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | 1,570 | $21,840 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,290 | $60,800 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,270 | $48,110 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | 1,260 | $51,210 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 1,160 | $46,730 |
| Rochester, NY | 1,160 | $58,470 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 1,080 | $55,740 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Construction and Building Inspectors | $74,690 | $35.91 |
| Hazardous Materials Removal Worker | $49,450 | $23.78 |
| Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners | $49,880 | $23.98 |
| Miscellaneous Construction and Related Workers | $49,910 | $24.00 |
| Fence Erector | $47,980 | $23.07 |
| Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers | $109,910 | $52.84 |
| Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators | $70,070 | $33.69 |
| Construction Laborer | $47,120 | $22.66 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $79,920 | $38.42 |
| Electrician | $63,190 | $30.38 |
| Carpenter | $60,580 | $29.12 |
| Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | $59,850 | $28.78 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $63,800 | $30.67 |
| Painters, Construction and Maintenance | $49,400 | $23.75 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 47-4051. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a highway maintenance worker make in the U.S.?
The median salary for highway maintenance workers in the U.S. is $50,260 a year, or $24.16 an hour. Pay ranges from $36,230 for the lowest-paid 10% to $71,970 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid highway maintenance workers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of highway maintenance workers in the U.S. earn at least $71,970 a year. The top 25% earn $61,040 or more.
What is the starting pay for highway maintenance workers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $36,230 a year, and a quarter of highway maintenance workers earn $43,500 or less.
How many highway maintenance workers work in the U.S.?
About 154,960 highway maintenance workers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.