Highway Maintenance Workers Salary
In Oregon, highway maintenance workers earn $65,330 at the median, or about $31.41 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.44), that's roughly $63,774 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,555/month, about 36.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Oregon. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $65K get you in Oregon?
About highway maintenance workers
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What this looks like in Oregon
Oregon sits well above the national pay line for highway maintenance workers, local pay runs about 30% higher than the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,555/month, which is 38% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.44) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Oregon
Entry-level highway maintenance workers (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $70K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Highway Maintenance Workers salary by metro in Oregon
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | $69K | +5% | 40 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $65K | -0% | 550 |
| Salem | $65K | -1% | 150 |
| Bend | $64K | -1% | 130 |
| Medford | $62K | -4% | 80 |
| Eugene-Springfield | $61K | -6% | 100 |
| Grants Pass | $55K | -16% | 40 |
Compare to other states
Track highway maintenance workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Oregon numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a highway maintenance worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Oregon?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 38% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,555/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Oregon?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new highway maintenance workers typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,049/month. At HUD’s $1,555/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Oregon?
Local pay is 30% above the national median — $65K here vs. $50K nationally.
How does Oregon compare to the national average for highway maintenance workers?
Oregon pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s +30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $64K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do highway maintenance workers make in Oregon?
The median is $65,330 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,810, and experienced highway maintenance workers can clear $70,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Oregon?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,096/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,555/month, which eats 38% 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 Oregon?
Oregon has a Regional Price Parity of 102.44 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median highway maintenance workers salary is worth about $63,774 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.