Jobs Similar to Highway Maintenance Workers
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to highway maintenance workers, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners, Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers and Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators.
Highway Maintenance Workers: $50,260 median pay · usual preparation: High school.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
- 1Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners
77% similar · $49,880 (−1%) · High school · Same group
- 2Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers
76% similar · $68,840 (+37%) · High school
- 3Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
75% similar · $59,850 (+19%) · High school
- 4Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
74% similar · $57,430 (+14%) · High school
- 5Bridge and Lock Tenders
74% similar · $57,700 (+15%) · High school
- 6Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall
73% similar · $49,120 (−2%) · High school
- 7Locomotive Engineers
73% similar · $81,410 (+62%) · High school
- 8Pile Driver Operators
73% similar · $73,300 (+46%) · High school
- 9Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
73% similar · $58,640 (+17%) · High school
- 10Floor Sanders and Finishers
73% similar · $50,440 (0%) · High school
- 11Motorboat Operators
73% similar · $47,520 (−5%) · High school
- 12Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs
73% similar · $37,290 (−26%) · High school
- 13Structural Iron and Steel Workers
72% similar · $62,780 (+25%) · High school
- 14Pipelayers
72% similar · $49,000 (−3%) · High school
- 15Aircraft Service Attendants
72% similar · $40,450 (−20%) · High school
- 16Subway and Streetcar Operators
72% similar · $86,380 (+72%) · High school
- 17Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers
72% similar · $45,990 (−8%) · High school
- 18Recycling and Reclamation Workers
72% similar · $40,240 (broader group) · High school
- 19Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
72% similar · $49,450 (−2%) · High school · Same group
- 20Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
72% similar · $49,690 (−1%) · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than highway maintenance workers.
- Subway and Streetcar Operators72% similar · $86,380 (+72%)
- Locomotive Engineers73% similar · $81,410 (+62%)
- Pile Driver Operators73% similar · $73,300 (+46%)
- Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers76% similar · $68,840 (+37%)
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers72% similar · $62,780 (+25%)
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators75% similar · $59,850 (+19%)
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for highway maintenance workers also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where highway maintenance workers is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Tree Trimmers and Pruners (78)
- Motorboat Operators (77)
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators (77)
- Aircraft Service Attendants (76)
- Bridge and Lock Tenders (76)
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors (76)
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (75)
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (74)
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers (73)
- Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs (73)
Questions about jobs like highway maintenance workers
What jobs are most similar to highway maintenance workers?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners (77% similar), Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers (76% similar), Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (75% similar), Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators (74% similar) and Bridge and Lock Tenders (74% similar).
Which jobs like highway maintenance workers pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Subway and Streetcar Operators ($86,380, +72%; usually a high school diploma), Locomotive Engineers ($81,410, +62%; usually a high school diploma) and Pile Driver Operators ($73,300, +46%; usually a high school diploma) have the highest BLS median pay compared with highway maintenance workers ($50,260). Without more preparation than highway maintenance workers usually need: Subway and Streetcar Operators, Locomotive Engineers and Pile Driver Operators.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.