Highway Maintenance Worker Salary in Houston, TX
Highway Maintenance Workers in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area earn a median $45,070 a year — 10% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $38,394 take-home, or $3,199 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median highway maintenance worker salary in Houston, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,228
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,794
- Medicare (1.45%)$654
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$38,394
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Highway Maintenance Worker pay by experience in Houston, TX
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,140 | $17.38 | $31,218 | $2,602 |
| 25th percentile | $39,710 | $19.09 | $34,087 | $2,841 |
| Median (50th) | $45,070 | $21.67 | $38,394 | $3,199 |
| 75th percentile | $49,810 | $23.95 | $42,202 | $3,517 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $64,450 | $30.99 | $53,966 | $4,497 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $45,070 buys in Houston, TX
Prices in Houston, TX are 1.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median highway maintenance worker's $38,394 take-home pay has the buying power of $38,927 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 Houston, TX than nationally (location quotient 0.24), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for highway maintenance workers, adjusted for cost of living
Houston, TX ranks #44 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 |
| 44 | Houston, TX | $45,070 | $38,394 | $38,927 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 49 metros →
Highway Maintenance Worker salaries elsewhere in Texas
- Austin, TX — $50,100
- Dallas, TX — $48,110
Frequently asked questions
How much does a highway maintenance worker make in Houston, TX?
The median highway maintenance worker salary in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $45,070 a year, or about $21.67 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $39,710 and $49,810.
What is a highway maintenance worker’s take-home pay in Houston, TX?
On the median $45,070 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $38,394 a year ($3,199 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Houston, TX a good place to work as a highway maintenance worker?
Pay here is 10% below the national median of $50,260. Local prices are 1.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $38,927 would in a typical U.S. city. Houston, TX ranks #44 of 49 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a highway maintenance worker afford rent in Houston, TX?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Houston, TX is $1,316 a month ($1,558 for two bedrooms) — 41% of a median highway maintenance worker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Houston, TX
- Elevator and Escalator Installer and Repairer — $104,350
- Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas — $79,450
- Boilermaker — $77,090
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $76,020
- Construction and Building Inspector — $66,780
- Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas — $62,910
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $61,300
- Electrician — $59,180
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker — $58,030
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas — $57,970
- Brickmason and Blockmason — $56,410
- Sheet Metal Worker — $51,870