Highway Maintenance Worker

Explore This Path

Ideal for those who love working outdoors and keeping roads safe and functional.
Ensure smooth travel by maintaining roads, runways, and essential infrastructure.
Unique chance to operate heavy machinery and manage traffic flow.

💰 Earn $48K-$70K

📚 High School Diploma or GED

⏱️ 6–12 MONTH TRAINING

📈 3.8% JOB GROWTH

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What You’ll Do

Maintain highways, municipal and rural roads, airport runways, and rights-of-way. Duties include patching broken or eroded pavement and repairing guard rails, highway markers, and snow fences. May also mow or clear brush from along road, or plow snow from roadway.

Set out signs and cones around work areas to divert traffic.
Flag motorists to warn them of obstacles or repair work ahead.
Perform preventative maintenance on vehicles and heavy equipment.
Drive trucks to transport crews and equipment to work sites.
Erect, install, or repair guardrails, road shoulders, berms, highway markers, warning signals, and highway lighting, using hand tools and power tools.

Scoop

Minimum Education

High School Diploma or GED

Career Prospects

Good (Increasing by 1-5%)

Training Time

6 months to 1 year

Job Openings

13,900 Annually

Median Earnings

$55,520 in California

$47,360 Nationally

$25K

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Real Talk Reel

Want to see what it's like to be a Highway Maintenance Worker? We've curated a playlist for you to get a glimpse into a day in the life.

@chat_cte

Best For You If...

YOU Like 💕

Using data or completing tasks
Working with my hands

You are skilled in 💫

Equipment Maintenance
Monitoring
Operation and Control
Operations Monitoring
Repairing
Troubleshooting

You value 🙏

Having support
Job security
Personal relationships

Deep Dive

Highway Maintenance Worker

Explore career pathways, key skills, and what each role has to offer.

Pathways to this Career

Learn about the education and training paths that can lead to this career — and what to expect from each one.

Associate's Degree

An associate's degree typically provides graduates with foundational knowledge and skills for entry-level jobs in the graduate's industry, or serves as a stepping stone towards further education.

🎓 College

⏱️ FINISH IN 2-3 years

Vocational School

A vocational school typically equips students with specialized skills and practical training in specific trades or occupations, enhancing their employability and providing direct pathways to relevant careers.

🎓 Skills-Focused

⏱️ FINISH IN 6 months - 2 years

Bachelor's Degree

A bachelor's degree typically results in increased knowledge about a variety of academic subjects, specialized knowledge in a focused field of study, and is considered the foundational qualification for many careers.

🎓 College

⏱️ FINISH IN 4-5+ years