Highway Maintenance Workers Career, Salary and Skills
Highway Maintenance Workers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $50,260 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 154,960. Wage data is published for 401 locations.
Occupation description
Maintain highways, municipal and rural roads, airport runways, and rights-of-way. Duties include patching broken or eroded pavement and repairing guard rails, highway markers, and snow fences. May also mow or clear brush from along road, or plow snow from roadway.
O*NET code
47-4051.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
National salary and employment
Median annual
$50,260
Hourly median
$24.16
Employment
154,960
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.62 | 3.12 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.50 | 3.00 |
| Coordination | 3.12 | 3.50 |
| Monitoring | 3.12 | 2.75 |
| Active Listening | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Speaking | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.88 | 2.62 |
| Troubleshooting | 2.88 | 2.75 |
Typical tasks
- Flag motorists to warn them of obstacles or repair work ahead.
- Perform preventative maintenance on vehicles and heavy equipment.
- Drive trucks to transport crews and equipment to work sites.
- Erect, install, or repair guardrails, road shoulders, berms, highway markers, warning signals, and highway lighting, using hand tools and power tools.
- Clean and clear debris from culverts, catch basins, drop inlets, ditches, and other drain structures.
- Drive heavy equipment and vehicles with adjustable attachments to sweep debris from paved surfaces, mow grass and weeds, remove snow and ice, and spread salt and sand.
- Haul and spread sand, gravel, and clay to fill washouts and repair road shoulders.
- Set out signs and cones around work areas to divert traffic.
Technology
- Database software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Web browser software
Highway Maintenance Workers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Highway Maintenance Workers Salary in NYMedian $55,210 · Employment 13,820
- Highway Maintenance Workers Salary in PAMedian $47,690 · Employment 11,140
- Highway Maintenance Workers Salary in ILMedian $61,700 · Employment 10,790
- Highway Maintenance Workers Salary in CAMedian $59,580 · Employment 8,150
- Highway Maintenance Workers Salary in New York, NYMedian $60,280 · Employment 6,800
- Highway Maintenance Workers Salary in TXMedian $45,540 · Employment 6,630
- Highway Maintenance Workers Salary in OHMedian $48,880 · Employment 6,070
- Highway Maintenance Workers Salary in WIMedian $58,000 · Employment 6,000
- Highway Maintenance Workers Salary in MOMedian $47,470 · Employment 5,470
- Highway Maintenance Workers Salary in MIMedian $53,750 · Employment 5,230
- Highway Maintenance Workers Salary in NJMedian $51,720 · Employment 4,850
- Highway Maintenance Workers Salary in MNMedian $63,150 · Employment 4,610
Related careers
- Helpers--ElectriciansNational median $42,670
- Traffic TechniciansNational median $59,090
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversNational median $58,640
- Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except AviationNational median $92,100
- Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground MiningNational median $74,500
- Electrical Power-Line Installers and RepairersNational median $95,320
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsNational median $61,770
- Rail Car RepairersNational median $67,530
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.