Highway Maintenance Workers Salary
In Iowa City, IA, highway maintenance workers earn $60,110 at the median, or about $28.9 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.51), which stretches that salary to about $65,687 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $962/month, or 24.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $60K get you in Iowa City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Iowa City’s Regional Price Parity (91.51). 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.
About highway maintenance workers
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What this looks like in Iowa City
Iowa City sits well above the national pay line for highway maintenance workers, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $50K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $962/month, 24.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.51 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Iowa City offers a genuinely strong financial position for highway maintenance workerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for highway maintenance workers in metros near Iowa City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $61K | $66K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $55K | $62K |
| Cedar Rapids | $58K | $66K |
| Sioux City | $58K | $67K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa City, IA
Entry-level highway maintenance workers (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Highway Maintenance Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Highway Maintenance Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $65K | +30% | 1,650 |
| Washington | $65K | +30% | 2,590 |
| Connecticut | $65K | +29% | 2,130 |
| Minnesota | $63K | +26% | 4,610 |
| Illinois | $62K | +23% | 10,790 |
| Massachusetts | $62K | +22% | 2,000 |
| Montana | $61K | +21% | 1,140 |
| North Dakota | $61K | +21% | 1,240 |
| California | $60K | +19% | 8,150 |
| Iowa | $58K | +16% | 4,000 |
| Vermont | $58K | +16% | 1,170 |
| Wisconsin | $58K | +15% | 6,000 |
| Rhode Island | $58K | +15% | 620 |
| Utah | $56K | +11% | 1,240 |
| New York | $55K | +10% | 13,820 |
| Alaska | $54K | +8% | 50 |
| Michigan | $54K | +7% | 5,230 |
| Colorado | $52K | +4% | 1,990 |
| Idaho | $52K | +4% | 1,340 |
| New Jersey | $52K | +3% | 4,850 |
| New Hampshire | $51K | +2% | 1,230 |
| Arizona | $51K | +1% | 1,410 |
| Virginia | $51K | +1% | 3,400 |
| Nevada | $49K | -2% | 990 |
| Maryland | $49K | -2% | 620 |
| Maine | $49K | -2% | 1,620 |
| Ohio | $49K | -3% | 6,070 |
| Nebraska | $49K | -3% | 2,580 |
| South Dakota | $49K | -3% | 1,800 |
| Indiana | $48K | -4% | 4,380 |
| Wyoming | $48K | -4% | 820 |
| South Carolina | $48K | -4% | 2,290 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -5% | 3,750 |
| New Mexico | $48K | -5% | 1,470 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | -5% | 11,140 |
| Missouri | $47K | -6% | 5,470 |
| Tennessee | $46K | -8% | 2,280 |
| Kansas | $46K | -8% | 1,960 |
| Texas | $46K | -9% | 6,630 |
| Delaware | $45K | -10% | 90 |
| West Virginia | $45K | -10% | 730 |
| Louisiana | $45K | -11% | 1,050 |
| Florida | $42K | -16% | 2,530 |
| Kentucky | $40K | -20% | 3,030 |
| Oklahoma | $39K | -23% | 3,180 |
| Georgia | $38K | -25% | 1,980 |
| Alabama | $37K | -26% | 2,730 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -29% | 860 |
| Mississippi | $35K | -30% | 4,160 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
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 Iowa City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a highway maintenance worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa City?
Yes — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 24.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $962/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for highway maintenance workers in Iowa City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new highway maintenance workers typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,885/month. At HUD’s $962/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Iowa City?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $60K here vs. $50K nationally.
How does Iowa City compare to the national average for highway maintenance workers?
Iowa City pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do highway maintenance workers make in Iowa City, IA?
The median is $60,110 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,090, and experienced highway maintenance workers can clear $75,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Iowa City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,945/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $962/month, which eats 24.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a highway maintenance workers salary go in Iowa City?
Iowa City has a Regional Price Parity of 91.51 (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 $65,687 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.