Highway Maintenance Workers Salary
In Alabama, highway maintenance workers earn $37,430 at the median, or about $18 an hour. The range runs from $28K at the entry level to $53K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $42,361 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,085/month, about 42.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $37K get you in Alabama?
About highway maintenance workers
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What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for highway maintenance workers in Alabama runs about 26% below the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,085/month, which is 42.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for highway maintenance workerss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level highway maintenance workers (10th percentile) start around $28K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $53K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Highway Maintenance Workers salary by metro in Alabama
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | $46K | +23% | 200 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $46K | +22% | 80 |
| Decatur | $41K | +9% | 40 |
| Auburn-Opelika | $40K | +8% | 50 |
| Tuscaloosa | $40K | +6% | 190 |
| Montgomery | $39K | +5% | 150 |
| Mobile | $38K | +3% | 90 |
| Gadsden | $38K | +2% | 50 |
| Dothan | $38K | +2% | 90 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals | $37K | +0% | 70 |
| Birmingham | $37K | -0% | 400 |
| Anniston-Oxford | $36K | -5% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
Compare to other states
Track highway maintenance workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a highway maintenance worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 42.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for highway maintenance workers in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new highway maintenance workers typically earn — is $28K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,657/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 65% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is highway maintenance worker a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 26% below the national median — $37K here vs. $50K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for highway maintenance workers?
Alabama pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — below the national median.
How much do highway maintenance workers make in Alabama?
The median is $37,430 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,620, and experienced highway maintenance workers can clear $52,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,534/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 42.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a highway maintenance workers salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median highway maintenance workers salary is worth about $42,361 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do highway maintenance workers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.