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Salary comparison

Highway Maintenance Workers vs. First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers: Who Earns More?

First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers out-earn Highway Maintenance Workers by $30K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Highway Maintenance Workers land at $50,260 and First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers at $79,920. The education gap is real: highway maintenance worker programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction worker programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Highway Maintenance Workers is Oregon ($65,330); for First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers it's Washington ($109,570).

Highway Maintenance Workers
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
Median salary
$50,260
$79,920
Hourly rate
$24.16/hr
$38.42/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$36,230
$53,280
Senior level (90th %)
$71,970
$128,260
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
154,960
812,210
Job growth (10-year)
3%
5.3%
Category
Construction & Trades
Construction & Trades
Top-paying state
Oregon
Washington

Pay by state

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

State
Highway Maintenance Workers
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
Oregon
$65,330
$103,070
Washington
$65,300
$109,570
Connecticut
$64,870
$92,260
Minnesota
$63,150
$97,610
Illinois
$61,700
$105,750
Massachusetts
$61,500
$97,850
California
$59,580
$97,680
Vermont
$58,460
$82,490
Wisconsin
$58,000
$85,350
Rhode Island
$57,950
$98,590
New York
$55,210
$95,700
Alaska
$54,090
$102,140
New Jersey
$51,720
$105,510
Indiana
$48,480
$82,530
Missouri
$47,470
$87,520

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Highway Maintenance Workers or First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers?

First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers earn more nationally. The median is $50,260 for Highway Maintenance Workers versus $79,920 for First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers, a difference of $30K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Highway Maintenance Workers or First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers?

First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers has the better 10-year outlook at 5.3% projected growth, compared to 3% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Highway Maintenance Workers or First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers?

Highway Maintenance Workers typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Highway Maintenance Workers get paid the most?

Oregon is the top-paying state for Highway Maintenance Workers 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. First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Oregon, Highway Maintenance Workers earn $65,330 vs. $103,070 for First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Highway Maintenance Workers salary breakdownView →Full First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Highway Maintenance Workers by take-home payExplore →Best cities for First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers by take-home payExplore →How to become a highway maintenance workersGuide →How to become a first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workersGuide →