Highway Maintenance Worker Salary in Boston, MA
Highway Maintenance Workers in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn a median $60,800 a year — 21% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $48,213 take-home, or $4,018 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median highway maintenance worker salary in Boston, MA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,116
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,770
- Medicare (1.45%)$882
- Massachusetts income tax$2,820
- Take-home pay$48,213
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.00% state
The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro spans Massachusetts, New Hampshire. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Highway Maintenance Worker pay by experience in Boston, MA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $43,260 | $20.80 | $34,996 | $2,916 |
| 25th percentile | $50,750 | $24.40 | $40,640 | $3,387 |
| Median (50th) | $60,800 | $29.23 | $48,213 | $4,018 |
| 75th percentile | $69,490 | $33.41 | $54,462 | $4,538 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $78,750 | $37.86 | $60,513 | $5,043 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Massachusetts resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $60,800 buys in Boston, MA
Prices in Boston, MA are 8.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.48× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median highway maintenance worker's $48,213 take-home pay has the buying power of $44,532 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 less concentrated in Boston, MA than nationally (location quotient 0.48), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for highway maintenance workers, adjusted for cost of living
Boston, MA ranks #21 of 49 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 | Seattle, WA | $75,030 | $61,614 | $55,441 |
| 3 | Des Moines, IA | $60,900 | $49,451 | $53,926 |
| 4 | Madison, WI | $63,530 | $51,212 | $52,640 |
| 5 | Hartford, CT | $66,310 | $53,388 | $51,961 |
| 6 | Milwaukee, WI | $60,660 | $49,032 | $50,582 |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $63,650 | $50,518 | $48,194 |
| 8 | Rochester, NY | $58,470 | $46,600 | $48,024 |
| 21 | Boston, MA | $60,800 | $48,213 | $44,532 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 49 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a highway maintenance worker make in Boston, MA?
The median highway maintenance worker salary in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area is $60,800 a year, or about $29.23 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $50,750 and $69,490.
What is a highway maintenance worker’s take-home pay in Boston, MA?
On the median $60,800 salary, a single filer living in Massachusetts takes home about $48,213 a year ($4,018 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,820 in Massachusetts taxes in 2026.
Is Boston, MA a good place to work as a highway maintenance worker?
Pay here is 21% above the national median of $50,260. Local prices are 8.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $44,532 would in a typical U.S. city. Boston, MA ranks #21 of 49 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a highway maintenance worker afford rent in Boston, MA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Boston, MA is $2,276 a month ($2,762 for two bedrooms) — 57% of a median highway maintenance worker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Boston, MA
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker — $120,840
- Glazier — $107,610
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $99,890
- Floor Layers, Except Carpet, Wood, and Hard Tiles — $98,290
- Brickmason and Blockmason — $96,960
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $96,760
- Construction and Building Inspector — $84,620
- Sheet Metal Worker — $82,550
- Electrician — $79,910
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator — $76,940
- Carpenter — $75,210
- Miscellaneous Construction and Related Worker — $74,880