Highway Maintenance Worker Salary in Milwaukee, WI
Highway Maintenance Workers in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area earn a median $60,660 a year — 21% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $49,032 take-home, or $4,086 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median highway maintenance worker salary in Milwaukee, WI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,099
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,761
- Medicare (1.45%)$880
- Wisconsin income tax$1,888
- Take-home pay$49,032
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.40% state
Highway Maintenance Worker pay by experience in Milwaukee, WI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,610 | $18.08 | $31,526 | $2,627 |
| 25th percentile | $56,620 | $27.22 | $45,964 | $3,830 |
| Median (50th) | $60,660 | $29.16 | $49,032 | $4,086 |
| 75th percentile | $65,220 | $31.36 | $52,496 | $4,375 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $72,590 | $34.90 | $57,430 | $4,786 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Wisconsin resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $60,660 buys in Milwaukee, WI
Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 3.1% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 3% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median highway maintenance worker's $49,032 take-home pay has the buying power of $50,582 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 Milwaukee, WI than nationally (location quotient 0.76), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for highway maintenance workers, adjusted for cost of living
Milwaukee, WI ranks #6 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 |
*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 Wisconsin
- Madison, WI — $63,530
Frequently asked questions
How much does a highway maintenance worker make in Milwaukee, WI?
The median highway maintenance worker salary in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area is $60,660 a year, or about $29.16 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $56,620 and $65,220.
What is a highway maintenance worker’s take-home pay in Milwaukee, WI?
On the median $60,660 salary, a single filer living in Wisconsin takes home about $49,032 a year ($4,086 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,888 in Wisconsin taxes in 2026.
Is Milwaukee, WI a good place to work as a highway maintenance worker?
Pay here is 21% above the national median of $50,260. Local prices are 3.1% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $50,582 would in a typical U.S. city. Milwaukee, WI ranks #6 of 49 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a highway maintenance worker afford rent in Milwaukee, WI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Milwaukee, WI is $1,119 a month ($1,338 for two bedrooms) — 27% of a median highway maintenance worker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Milwaukee, WI
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $91,760
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $84,700
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator — $79,430
- Sheet Metal Worker — $78,840
- Electrician — $77,800
- Construction and Building Inspector — $77,220
- Cement Mason and Concrete Finisher — $74,730
- Carpenter — $63,910
- Roofer — $60,140
- Construction Laborer — $57,430
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance — $50,620