Highway Maintenance Workers Salary
In North Carolina, highway maintenance workers earn $47,880 at the median, or about $23.02 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $51,673 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 38.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $48K get you in North Carolina?
About highway maintenance workers
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Highway maintenance workers pay in North Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $50K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 40.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level highway maintenance workers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Highway Maintenance Workers salary by metro in North Carolina
14 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asheville | $50K | +4% | 150 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $49K | +3% | 610 |
| Winston-Salem | $49K | +2% | 200 |
| Fayetteville | $49K | +2% | 110 |
| Goldsboro | $49K | +2% | 40 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $49K | +2% | 310 |
| Rocky Mount | $49K | +2% | 60 |
| Wilmington | $49K | +2% | 110 |
| Burlington | $47K | -1% | 40 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $45K | -7% | 140 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $45K | -7% | 150 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $45K | -7% | 220 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines | $43K | -11% | 90 |
| Greenville | $42K | -11% | 90 |
Showing 1–10 of 14 metros
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Track highway maintenance workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a highway maintenance worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 40.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new highway maintenance workers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,099/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 North Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $50K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for highway maintenance workers?
North Carolina pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do highway maintenance workers make in North Carolina?
The median is $47,880 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,980, and experienced highway maintenance workers can clear $58,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,196/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 40.2% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $51,673 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.