Highway Maintenance Worker Salary in Chicago, IL
Highway Maintenance Workers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $76,220 a year — 52% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $58,823 take-home, or $4,902 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median highway maintenance worker salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$7,938
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,726
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,105
- Illinois income tax$3,628
- Take-home pay$58,823
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.95% state
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro spans Illinois, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Highway Maintenance Worker pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $42,110 | $20.25 | $34,076 | $2,840 |
| 25th percentile | $53,130 | $25.54 | $42,385 | $3,532 |
| Median (50th) | $76,220 | $36.64 | $58,823 | $4,902 |
| 75th percentile | $91,140 | $43.82 | $68,580 | $5,715 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $102,530 | $49.29 | $76,029 | $6,336 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $76,220 buys in Chicago, IL
Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median highway maintenance worker's $58,823 take-home pay has the buying power of $56,781 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Highway Maintenance Worker jobs are about as common in Chicago, IL as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.91).
Best-paying cities for highway maintenance workers, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #1 of 3 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago, IL | $76,220 | $58,823 | $56,781 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $60,280 | $47,957 | $42,604 |
| 3 | Philadelphia, PA | $43,890 | $36,098 | $35,199 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 3 metros →
About the job: highway maintenance workers
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.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +3.4% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a highway maintenance worker make in Chicago, IL?
The median highway maintenance worker salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $76,220 a year, or about $36.64 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $53,130 and $91,140.
What is a highway maintenance worker’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $76,220 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $58,823 a year ($4,902 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,628 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a highway maintenance worker?
Pay here is 52% above the national median of $50,260. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $56,781 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #1 of 3 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a highway maintenance worker afford rent in Chicago, IL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Chicago, IL is $1,534 a month ($1,743 for two bedrooms) — 31% of a median highway maintenance worker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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