How much does a Highway Maintenance Worker make?
A Highway Maintenance Worker earns a median annual salary of $50,260 in the United States, which works out to roughly $24.16 per hour for full-time work. Most Highway Maintenance Workers earn between $36,230 at the entry level and $71,970 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $43,500 and $61,040 a year.
That is $11,130 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Highway Maintenance Worker salary range by percentile
Half of all Highway Maintenance Workers earn between $43,500 and $61,040 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,230 | $17.42 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $43,500 | $20.91 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $50,260 | $24.16 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $61,040 | $29.35 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $71,970 | $34.60 |
Highest-paying states for Highway Maintenance Worker
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Oregon leads the country for Highway Maintenance Worker pay at $65,330 a year, followed by Washington ($65,300) and Connecticut ($64,870). At the other end, Mississippi posts the lowest median at $35,120 — a gap of $30,210 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $65,330 | $31.41 | +30% |
| 2 | Washington | $65,300 | $31.39 | +30% |
| 3 | Connecticut | $64,870 | $31.19 | +29% |
| 4 | Minnesota | $63,150 | $30.36 | +26% |
| 5 | Illinois | $61,700 | $29.66 | +23% |
Highway Maintenance Worker salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 49 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 155,000 people work as Highway Maintenance Workers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $53,080 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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Related salaries
Other construction & trades roles with similar pay.