Highway Maintenance Workers in Colorado
Want to work as a Highway Maintenance Workers in Colorado? Below are the key facts. 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. Excludes “Tree Trimmers and Pruners” (37-3013).
What do Highway Maintenance Workers Make in Colorado?
For highway maintenance workers working in Colorado, the median annual wage is $56,440 per year (or about $27.14/hour).Earnings range from $43,650 at the 10th percentile to $62,990 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $43,650 | $20.99 |
| 25th percentile | $50,040 | $24.06 |
| Median (50th) | $56,440 | $27.14 |
| 75th percentile | $58,150 | $27.96 |
| 90th percentile | $62,990 | $30.29 |
The job concentration index in Colorado nationwide is 0.67, meaning fewer highway maintenance workers per worker than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, highway maintenance workers earn a median of $48,880 per year ($23.50/hour), higher than the Colorado median.
Employment Outlook
Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 108,425 highway maintenance workers in the U.S.. In Colorado alone, about 1,900 people work in this role. That’s below the typical state, which employs around 2,110 highway maintenance workers.
Top Colorado Metros for Highway Maintenance Workers
These are the Colorado metros with the most highway maintenance workers in Colorado.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 470 | $56,470 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 150 | $56,470 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 70 | $56,460 |
| Greeley, CO | 70 | $54,720 |
| Pueblo, CO | 70 | $50,810 |
| Grand Junction, CO | 60 | $56,460 |
| Boulder, CO | 40 | $58,390 |
Top States for Highway Maintenance Workers Employment
These states have the highest employment of highway maintenance workers work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| New York | 14,200 |
| Pennsylvania | 11,210 |
| Illinois | 11,050 |
| California | 7,770 |
| Texas | 6,950 |
| Ohio | 6,600 |
| New Jersey | 5,780 |
| Wisconsin | 5,530 |
| Missouri | 5,300 |
| Iowa | 4,400 |
| Michigan | 4,060 |
| Minnesota | 3,860 |
| Indiana | 3,850 |
| Mississippi | 3,850 |
| North Carolina | 3,770 |
| Virginia | 3,640 |
| Puerto Rico | 3,200 |
| Oklahoma | 2,880 |
| Alabama | 2,700 |
| Nebraska | 2,650 |
Highest-Paying States for Highway Maintenance Workers
Where highway maintenance workers earn the most: highway maintenance workers.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | $63,770 |
| Washington | $63,420 |
| Oregon | $62,990 |
| Alaska | $61,910 |
| Minnesota | $60,900 |
| North Dakota | $60,830 |
| Montana | $60,730 |
| Massachusetts | $59,240 |
| California | $58,300 |
| Illinois | $58,130 |
Skills
Top highway maintenance workers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for highway maintenance workers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Day-to-day, highway maintenance workers typically:
- 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.
- Clean and clear debris from culverts, catch basins, drop inlets, ditches, and other drain structures.
- Drive heavy equipment and vehicles with adjustable attachments to sweep debris from paved surfaces, mow grass and weeds, remove snow and ice, and spread salt and sand.
- Haul and spread sand, gravel, and clay to fill washouts and repair road shoulders.
- Inspect, clean, and repair drainage systems, bridges, tunnels, and other structures.
- Remove litter and debris from roadways, including debris from rock and mud slides.
- Dump, spread, and tamp asphalt, using pneumatic tampers, to repair joints and patch broken pavement.
- Perform roadside landscaping work, such as clearing weeds and brush, and planting and trimming trees.
Work Activities
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Getting Information
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Developing and Building Teams
- Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others
- Selling or Influencing Others
Tools & Technology
Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Several college majors map to this occupation:
- Ground Transportation
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Related Careers
Careers similar to highway maintenance workers include:
- Transportation Engineers
- Construction Laborers
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
- Pile Driver Operators
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
- Helpers–Electricians
Also Known As
Asphalt Raker, Caltrans Equipment Operator, Certified Flagger, Construction Flagger, Equipment Operator (EO), Flagger, Highway Maintainer, Highway Maintenance Crew Worker, Highway Maintenance Technician, Highway Maintenance Worker, Highway Technician (Highway Tech), Highway Technician Associate, Highway Worker, Hot Oiler, Lane Marker Installer.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 47-4051.00