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Salary comparison

Highway Maintenance Workers vs. Construction Laborers: Who Earns More?

Highway Maintenance Workerss out-earn Construction Laborerss by $3K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Highway Maintenance Workerss land at $50,260 and Construction Laborerss at $47,120. The education gap is real: highway maintenance worker programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while construction laborer programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Highway Maintenance Workerss is Oregon ($65,330); for Construction Laborerss it's Hawaii ($77,110).

Highway Maintenance Workers
Construction Laborers
Median salary
$50,260
$47,120
Hourly rate
$24.16/hr
$22.66/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$36,230
$35,090
Senior level (90th %)
$71,970
$78,090
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
154,960
1,096,780
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
7.3%
Category
Construction & Trades
Construction & Trades
Top-paying state
Oregon
Hawaii

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Highway Maintenance Workers median pay.

State
Highway Maintenance Workers
Construction Laborers
Oregon
$65,330
$50,860
Washington
$65,300
$57,720
Connecticut
$64,870
$58,290
Minnesota
$63,150
$60,260
Illinois
$61,700
$60,690
Massachusetts
$61,500
$63,390
California
$59,580
$60,270
Wisconsin
$58,000
$56,100
Rhode Island
$57,950
$57,240
New York
$55,210
$55,930
Alaska
$54,090
$58,060
New Jersey
$51,720
$64,060
Ohio
$48,880
$56,080
Indiana
$48,480
$50,070
Missouri
$47,470
$56,730

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Highway Maintenance Workerss or Construction Laborerss?

Highway Maintenance Workerss earn more nationally. The median is $50,260 for Highway Maintenance Workerss versus $47,120 for Construction Laborerss, a difference of $3K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Highway Maintenance Workers or Construction Laborers?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Highway Maintenance Workers or Construction Laborers?

Highway Maintenance Workers typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Construction Laborers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Highway Maintenance Workerss get paid the most?

Oregon is the top-paying state for Highway Maintenance Workerss at $65,330/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Highway Maintenance Workers vs. Construction Laborers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Oregon, Highway Maintenance Workerss earn $65,330 vs. $50,860 for Construction Laborerss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Highway Maintenance Workers salary breakdownView →Full Construction Laborers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Highway Maintenance Workerss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Construction Laborerss by take-home payExplore →How to become a highway maintenance workersGuide →How to become a construction laborersGuide →