Highway Maintenance Workers Salary in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
In Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, highway maintenance workers earn $43,250 at the median — $20.8 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $53K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $44,327 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,711/month — about 57% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $43K get you in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Durham-Chapel Hill’s Regional Price Parity (97.57). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level highway maintenance workers (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $53K or more, a $17K spread from bottom to top.
Highway Maintenance Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $64K | +30% | 2,110 |
| Washington | $63K | +29% | 2,620 |
| Oregon | $63K | +28% | 1,670 |
| Alaska | $62K | +26% | 50 |
| Minnesota | $61K | +24% | 3,860 |
| North Dakota | $61K | +24% | 1,200 |
| Montana | $61K | +24% | 1,020 |
| Massachusetts | $59K | +21% | 1,840 |
| California | $58K | +19% | 7,770 |
| Illinois | $58K | +18% | 11,050 |
| Iowa | $57K | +16% | 4,400 |
| Vermont | $56K | +15% | 1,020 |
| Wisconsin | $55K | +12% | 5,530 |
| Maryland | $54K | +11% | 700 |
| Rhode Island | $54K | +10% | 600 |
| Utah | $52K | +7% | 1,200 |
| New York | $52K | +6% | 14,200 |
| New Jersey | $51K | +3% | 5,780 |
| Michigan | $50K | +1% | 4,060 |
| Idaho | $49K | +1% | 1,330 |
| Virginia | $49K | +1% | 3,640 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | +0% | 1,200 |
| Wyoming | $49K | -1% | 720 |
| Indiana | $49K | -1% | 3,850 |
| Ohio | $48K | -2% | 6,600 |
| Arizona | $48K | -3% | 1,570 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | -3% | 11,210 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -3% | 1,740 |
| Maine | $47K | -3% | 1,450 |
| Nebraska | $47K | -4% | 2,650 |
| Tennessee | $47K | -4% | 2,040 |
| Nevada | $46K | -6% | 1,010 |
| Missouri | $46K | -6% | 5,300 |
| New Mexico | $46K | -6% | 1,290 |
| West Virginia | $45K | -8% | 700 |
| Kansas | $45K | -8% | 2,580 |
| North Carolina | $44K | -11% | 3,770 |
| Texas | $42K | -14% | 6,950 |
| Delaware | $40K | -18% | 90 |
| Louisiana | $40K | -18% | 1,480 |
| Florida | $39K | -20% | 1,710 |
| Oklahoma | $39K | -21% | 2,880 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -22% | 1,190 |
| South Carolina | $38K | -23% | 930 |
| Georgia | $37K | -24% | 2,180 |
| Kentucky | $37K | -25% | 2,350 |
| Alabama | $36K | -27% | 2,700 |
| Mississippi | $34K | -31% | 3,850 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track highway maintenance workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Durham-Chapel Hill numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do highway maintenance workers make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $43,250 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,630, and experienced highway maintenance workers can clear $52,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,904/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 58.9% 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 Durham-Chapel Hill?
Durham-Chapel Hill has a Regional Price Parity of 97.57 (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 $44,327 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.