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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

47-4051 Highway Maintenance Workers

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. Excludes “Tree Trimmers and Pruners” (37-3013).


National estimates for Highway Maintenance Workers
Industry profile for Highway Maintenance Workers
Geographic profile for Highway Maintenance Workers

National estimates for Highway Maintenance Workers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Highway Maintenance Workers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
141,150 1.2 % $ 21.32 $ 44,340 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Highway Maintenance Workers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 14.01 $ 17.65 $ 22.06 $ 23.32 $ 29.31
Annual Wage (2) $ 29,130 $ 36,700 $ 45,880 $ 48,500 $ 60,970


Industry profile for Highway Maintenance Workers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Highway Maintenance Workers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Highway Maintenance Workers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Highway Maintenance Workers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 97,770 1.82 $ 21.30 $ 44,300
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 34,650 1.58 $ 21.77 $ 45,280
Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction 5,020 1.41 $ 20.35 $ 42,330
Other Specialty Trade Contractors 500 0.07 $ 17.81 $ 37,050
Employment Services 410 0.01 $ 16.28 $ 33,850

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Highway Maintenance Workers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 97,770 1.82 $ 21.30 $ 44,300
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 34,650 1.58 $ 21.77 $ 45,280
Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction 5,020 1.41 $ 20.35 $ 42,330
Other Specialty Trade Contractors 500 0.07 $ 17.81 $ 37,050
Water, Sewage and Other Systems 30 0.06 $ 13.02 $ 27,080

Top paying industries for Highway Maintenance Workers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Rental and leasing services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) 180 0.06 $ 33.66 $ 70,010
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 40 (7) $ 26.55 $ 55,220
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors (8) (8) $ 22.07 $ 45,900
Building Equipment Contractors 100 (7) $ 21.79 $ 45,310
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 34,650 1.58 $ 21.77 $ 45,280


Geographic profile for Highway Maintenance Workers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Highway Maintenance Workers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Highway Maintenance Workers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of highway maintenance workers by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Highway Maintenance Workers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York 13,140 1.52 1.51 $ 23.75 $ 49,390
Pennsylvania 11,560 2.07 2.07 $ 21.99 $ 45,740
California 7,940 0.48 0.48 $ 26.32 $ 54,750
Ohio 6,730 1.29 1.29 $ 21.44 $ 44,590
Texas 6,210 0.51 0.51 $ 16.89 $ 35,130


Map of location quotient of highway maintenance workers by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Highway Maintenance Workers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
South Dakota 1,910 4.54 4.53 $ 18.64 $ 38,770
Wyoming 850 3.26 3.25 $ 20.42 $ 42,470
Mississippi 3,080 2.80 2.79 $ 14.56 $ 30,290
Vermont 780 2.76 2.76 $ 22.44 $ 46,670
North Dakota 1,070 2.71 2.71 $ 23.73 $ 49,360


Map of annual mean wages of highway maintenance workers by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Highway Maintenance Workers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington 2,440 0.76 0.76 $ 28.64 $ 59,580
Connecticut 2,360 1.50 1.50 $ 27.56 $ 57,330
Illinois 6,080 1.08 1.08 $ 26.65 $ 55,430
California 7,940 0.48 0.48 $ 26.32 $ 54,750
Minnesota 4,900 1.79 1.79 $ 26.18 $ 54,460



Map of employment of highway maintenance workers by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Highway Maintenance Workers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 5,360 0.62 0.62 $ 25.97 $ 54,010
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 3,150 1.19 1.19 $ 23.89 $ 49,680
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,390 0.42 0.42 $ 25.23 $ 52,480
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 2,340 0.55 0.55 $ 27.65 $ 57,520
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 2,240 1.23 1.23 $ 27.45 $ 57,100
Pittsburgh, PA 1,880 1.81 1.80 $ 23.03 $ 47,910
St. Louis, MO-IL 1,390 1.08 1.08 $ 22.48 $ 46,760
Cleveland-Elyria, OH 1,120 1.16 1.16 $ 24.41 $ 50,760
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY 1,070 2.14 2.14 $ 23.98 $ 49,880
Rochester, NY 1,060 2.26 2.26 $ 23.59 $ 49,070


Map of location quotient of highway maintenance workers by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Highway Maintenance Workers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Watertown-Fort Drum, NY 330 8.73 8.71 $ 20.81 $ 43,280
Glens Falls, NY 280 5.76 5.75 $ 21.00 $ 43,680
Kingston, NY 260 4.79 4.78 $ 23.75 $ 49,410
Utica-Rome, NY 490 4.30 4.29 $ 21.27 $ 44,250
Michigan City-La Porte, IN 160 4.13 4.12 $ 18.58 $ 38,640
Binghamton, NY 370 4.03 4.02 $ 21.28 $ 44,260
Bangor, ME 250 3.95 3.95 $ 19.49 $ 40,530
Johnstown, PA 160 3.40 3.39 $ 17.40 $ 36,190
Gettysburg, PA 100 3.24 3.24 $ 21.78 $ 45,290
Syracuse, NY 910 3.23 3.23 $ 22.45 $ 46,690


Map of annual mean wages of highway maintenance workers by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Highway Maintenance Workers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 300 0.28 0.28 $ 33.99 $ 70,690
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 710 0.37 0.37 $ 32.38 $ 67,340
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,050 0.47 0.47 $ 31.51 $ 65,550
Olympia-Tumwater, WA 60 0.57 0.56 $ 30.80 $ 64,070
Napa, CA 40 0.63 0.63 $ 29.68 $ 61,730
Santa Rosa, CA 100 0.52 0.52 $ 29.11 $ 60,540
Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 100 1.17 1.17 $ 28.95 $ 60,220
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 470 1.24 1.24 $ 28.86 $ 60,020
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 540 0.55 0.55 $ 28.81 $ 59,930
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 70 0.80 0.80 $ 28.63 $ 59,550

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Highway Maintenance Workers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area 1,460 8.76 8.74 $ 22.41 $ 46,610
Central East New York nonmetropolitan area 1,420 9.48 9.46 $ 21.86 $ 45,480
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 1,380 3.69 3.68 $ 17.52 $ 36,430
Southern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 1,320 7.34 7.33 $ 19.13 $ 39,780
Northern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 1,160 7.92 7.90 $ 20.03 $ 41,670

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Highway Maintenance Workers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area 680 11.27 11.25 $ 18.13 $ 37,710
Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 480 10.07 10.05 $ 20.26 $ 42,140
Central East New York nonmetropolitan area 1,420 9.48 9.46 $ 21.86 $ 45,480
Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 350 9.15 9.13 $ 18.26 $ 37,970
Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area 1,460 8.76 8.74 $ 22.41 $ 46,610

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Highway Maintenance Workers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 60 0.66 0.66 $ 32.39 $ 67,370
Western Washington nonmetropolitan area 260 2.18 2.18 $ 27.08 $ 56,320
Connecticut nonmetropolitan area 160 5.08 5.07 $ 26.55 $ 55,230
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 280 3.01 3.01 $ 26.23 $ 54,550
Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area 510 4.02 4.01 $ 25.78 $ 53,630


About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022