Highway Maintenance Worker Salary in Denver, CO
Highway Maintenance Workers in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area earn a median $54,950 a year — 9% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $44,623 take-home, or $3,719 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median highway maintenance worker salary in Denver, CO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,414
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,407
- Medicare (1.45%)$797
- Colorado income tax$1,709
- Take-home pay$44,623
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.40% state
Highway Maintenance Worker pay by experience in Denver, CO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $51,330 | $24.68 | $41,874 | $3,489 |
| 25th percentile | $52,340 | $25.16 | $42,641 | $3,553 |
| Median (50th) | $54,950 | $26.42 | $44,623 | $3,719 |
| 75th percentile | $62,940 | $30.26 | $50,691 | $4,224 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $66,780 | $32.11 | $53,580 | $4,465 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Colorado resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $54,950 buys in Denver, CO
Prices in Denver, CO are 5.8% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.47× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median highway maintenance worker's $44,623 take-home pay has the buying power of $42,184 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 Denver, CO than nationally (location quotient 0.29), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for highway maintenance workers, adjusted for cost of living
Denver, CO ranks #32 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 |
| 32 | Denver, CO | $54,950 | $44,623 | $42,184 |
*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 Denver, CO?
The median highway maintenance worker salary in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area is $54,950 a year, or about $26.42 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $52,340 and $62,940.
What is a highway maintenance worker’s take-home pay in Denver, CO?
On the median $54,950 salary, a single filer living in Colorado takes home about $44,623 a year ($3,719 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,709 in Colorado taxes in 2026.
Is Denver, CO a good place to work as a highway maintenance worker?
Pay here is 9% above the national median of $50,260. Local prices are 5.8% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $42,184 would in a typical U.S. city. Denver, CO ranks #32 of 49 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a highway maintenance worker afford rent in Denver, CO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Denver, CO is $1,754 a month ($2,089 for two bedrooms) — 47% of a median highway maintenance worker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Denver, CO
- Elevator and Escalator Installer and Repairer — $123,360
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $83,400
- Construction and Building Inspector — $82,020
- Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas — $66,220
- Carpenter — $64,910
- Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installer — $64,260
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator — $64,080
- Glazier — $64,080
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $63,900
- Pipelayer — $63,410
- Electrician — $63,150
- Cement Mason and Concrete Finisher — $62,130