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Highway Maintenance Worker

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Home › Construction and Extraction › Highway Maintenance Worker › North Carolina
Data current as of August 2026 · sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET
Average base salary, North Carolina
$49,000 / year
≈ $4,100 per month · $23.56 per hour

BLS May 2025 state data for North Carolina · median $49,500
25th percentile
$43,000Average
$49,00075th percentile
$55,000
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Highway Maintenance Worker salary by state
Alabama$40,500
Alaska$61,500
Arizona$52,000
Arkansas$37,500
California$65,500
Colorado$57,500
Connecticut$69,000
Delaware$49,000
Florida$44,500
Georgia$41,000
Idaho$57,000
Illinois$68,500
Indiana$51,000
Iowa$59,500
Kansas$47,500
Kentucky$43,500
Louisiana$46,500
Maine$51,000
Maryland$57,000
Massachusetts$64,000
Michigan$53,500
Minnesota$62,500
Mississippi$36,500
Missouri$50,000
Montana$62,500
Nebraska$52,500
Nevada$54,500
New Hampshire$55,000
New Jersey$58,500
New Mexico$49,000
New York$59,000
North Carolina$49,000
North Dakota$64,500
Ohio$53,000
Oklahoma$42,000
Oregon$66,000
Pennsylvania$52,000
Rhode Island$58,500
South Carolina$50,500
South Dakota$52,000
Tennessee$47,500
Texas$46,500
Utah$58,500
Vermont$59,000
Virginia$53,500
Washington$70,000
West Virginia$47,000
Wisconsin$58,000
Wyoming$53,500
About this role

Highway Maintenance Worker is a professional role within the function in the Construction and Extraction job family.

Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

What Highway Maintenance Workers do

Typical education: High School Diploma

  • Set out signs and cones around work areas to divert traffic.
  • 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.

Top skills: Operation and Control Operations Monitoring Monitoring Coordination Speaking Complex Problem Solving

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Highway Maintenance Worker pay by experience level
Entry level$37,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$45,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$52,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$63,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$74,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+3%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
12,300
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Highway Maintenance Worker salary by industry
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS

148,690 workers

$55,000

Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)

110,300 workers

$54,000

State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)

38,360 workers

$58,000

Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction

3,760 workers

$58,000

Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction

3,660 workers

$58,000

Administrative and Support Services

1,350 workers

$48,500

Specialty Trade Contractors

530 workers

$60,000

Other Support Services

520 workers

$63,500

Employment Services

330 workers

$39,500

Rental and Leasing Services

280 workers

$44,500

National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares

Highway Maintenance Worker pays 15% below the average across 63 roles in the Construction and Extraction job family (family average $65,000).

Similar-paying roles in Construction and Extraction
Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners$55,500
Floor Sanders and Finishers$54,500
Construction Laborer$54,000
Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall$56,500
Rock Splitters, Quarry$53,500
Miscellaneous Construction and Related Workers$57,000
Helpers–Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters$52,500
Painters, Construction and Maintenance$57,500
Hazardous Materials Removal Worker$58,500
Carpet Installer$59,000
Careers related to Highway Maintenance Worker
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$68,500
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$61,000
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators$71,000
Pile Driver Operator$83,500
Construction Laborer$54,000
Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners$55,500
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions

How much does a Highway Maintenance Worker make?

The average base salary for a Highway Maintenance Worker in the United States is $55,000 per year, or about $26.44 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $45,000 and $63,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Construction and Extraction roles?

The Construction and Extraction job family averages $65,000 across 63 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.

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