The Best Cities in the United States for Road Construction Jobs

Road construction jobs are found within the heavy civil construction industry. From carpenters to heavy equipment operators, many people play an important part in building and maintaining our roads. While their roles and salaries vary widely, they have a common goal of living in the best place for full-time road construction jobs.

Major metropolitan areas have a lot of roads to maintain. They also often have to expand existing roadways or construct entirely new ones. A city’s weather, traffic, and population growth all affect the amount of road construction that needs to be done. Some cities offer better employment opportunities and wages for construction workers, too. Take a look at our guide to see the best cities for road construction jobs today.

Construction laborers and helpers are the main workforces for road construction projects. About 240,000 construction laborers work in the heavy construction sector in the United States. These jobs account for 15% of the 1.6 million construction laborers in the country. The states that employ the most construction laborers are:

• Texas
• California
• Florida
• New York
• Pennsylvania

Within this group of general laborers, there are almost 88,000 people who work solely on highways, streets, bridges, and highway bridges. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the annual mean wage for this job is $47,480 or $22.83 per hour. A construction laborer makes the best income working on street, bridge, and highway maintenance in the following cities:

1. Trenton, New Jersey: $68,320
2. Chicago, Illinois: $64,870
3. Atlantic City, New Jersey: $64,240
4. Honolulu, Hawaii: $59,890
5. Kahului, Hawaii: $59,870
6. New York, New York: $57,800
7. Minneapolis, Minnesota: $57,100
8. Springfield, Massachusetts: $57,040
9. Boston, Massachusetts: $56,790
10. Bridgeport, Connecticut: $56,600

Heavy machinery is needed to construct buildings, structures, and roads. The person who drives and controls the machinery is called a construction equipment operator. The median annual wage for an operator working in heavy and civil engineering construction, which includes road construction, is $52,280.

There are two main groups of construction equipment operators who work in heavy highway construction: operating engineers and paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators.

According to the BLS, operating engineers in highway, street, and bridge construction make an annual mean wage of $61,130 per year or $29.39 per hour. They are in charge of operating one or more types of power construction equipment, such as bulldozers, front-end loaders, and excavators. The top-paying cities for operating engineers include:

1. New York, New York: $92,640
2. Kankakee, Illinois: $87,470
3. San Francisco, California: $86,240
4. Chicago, Illinois: $86,190
5. Honolulu, Hawaii: $85,620
6. Vallejo, California: $84,560
7. San Jose, California: $83,670
8. Champaign, Illinois: $83,070
9. Binghamton, New York: $82,940
10. Los Angeles, California: $81,740

Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators use machinery to apply concrete, asphalt, and other construction materials to surfaces. They also operate equipment to tamp or spread materials, such as gravel or dirt. Operators who work in highway, street, and bridge construction make an annual mean wage of $45,050 or $21.66 per hour. The cities that offer the best wages for this occupation are:

1. Barnstable, Massachusetts: $73,600
2. New York, New York: $64,200
3. San Francisco, California: $63,960
4. Los Angeles, California: $62,370
5. Mankato, Minnesota: $61,910
6. Minneapolis, Minnesota: $61,900
7. Davenport, Iowa: $61,030
8. Las Vegas, Nevada: $60,470
9. Chicago, Illinois: $59,690
10. Modesto, California: $58,320

A surveyor uses tools to make precise measurements of an area. They work in a variety of industries, including construction. A construction surveyor maps the topography and grade of a road and helps determine where it’s best to build. In some roles, they might also act as the construction estimators. They are also known as engineering surveyors and can work with buildings and other structures, too.

A construction surveyor makes an average of $65,060 per year. Surveyors who work in the highway, street, and bridge construction sector earn an annual mean wage of $67,790 or $32.59 per hour. The cities with the highest salaries for a surveyor include:

1. Redding, California: $103,560
2. Los Angeles, California: $101,990
3. Fresno, California: $98,770
4. Seattle, Washington: $96,760
5. San Diego, California: $95,630
6. Vallejo, California: $94,600
7. Riverside, California: $93,360
8. Sacramento, California: $92,880
9. Springfield, Illinois: $91,900
10. Anchorage, Alaska: $91,110

A construction manager plans and coordinates construction projects. They also handle budgets and supervise projects from start to finish. Job opportunities in construction management are expected to grow much faster than average over the next decade. Those who work in heavy and civil engineering make a median annual salary of $98,870.

A project manager who specifically works on highway, street, and bridge construction projects has the potential to earn even more, especially if they are on the senior project manager track. In this sector of heavy and civil engineering, their annual mean wage is $110,260, or $53.01 per hour. If you’re looking for a construction project manager job in a city, consider these top-paying options:

1. Vineland, New Jersey: $160,500
2. New York, New York: $148,140
3. Atlantic City, New Jersey: $146,820
4. San Jose, California: $146,510
5. Trenton, New Jersey: $140,230
6. Norwich, Connecticut: $138,150
7. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: $135,730
8. San Francisco, California: $134,880
9. Bridgeport, Connecticut: $132,630
10. Canton, Ohio: $131,340

A high wage isn’t the only factor to consider when you’re looking for the best place to find road construction jobs. Although wages can be higher in certain cities, the cost of living may also be higher and could significantly cut into your income. A smaller city with a higher-than-average wage may be a better choice than a larger city with the highest wage. There may also be jobs with construction companies available in smaller communities surrounding bigger metropolitan areas.

When choosing the best city in which to work and live, you should also consider factors like:

• Crime. If it affects your decision about where to work, look into a city’s crime rate and statistics to see how safe or dangerous the area is.

• Culture. What do you like to do after work hours? If art, music, or other cultural experiences are a large part of your life, it’s a good idea to get a feel for a city’s culture before applying for a job located there.

• Education. Research educational opportunities available that may help further your career. If you have school-aged children, you’ll want to research the area’s school districts to see if they are good.

• Family and friends. Is staying close to family and friends important to you? If so, consider the distance between the city and your loved ones.

• Health care. How are the city’s medical facilities and practitioners? Ensure that you’ll have access to good health care, as there are many hazards in road construction jobs that could lead to seeking care.

• Population. Do you want to live in a well-established major city with a large population, or would you rather move to a smaller city that’s on the path to population growth and infrastructure expansion?

• Real estate. Can you afford to live in the city or would you need to live outside of it? Are real estate values rising or falling in the area?

• Taxes. What state and local taxes will you be expected to pay? You may want to choose a city with a smaller tax burden.

• Transportation. If you need to rely on city transportation, check out what is available. Are trains, buses, or subways well maintained and easy to access from your living area? Will you need to get a driver’s license and a car to get to work? What might your commute be like if you didn’t live in the city?

• Weather. Road construction crews spend most of their time outside at a construction site, so the weather is a big factor for you to consider. Would you rather live in a northern climate with more temperate weather but chilly winters like New England, or is a sunny southern city like Atlanta or Miami your ideal location? Construction work opportunities can also change depending on the weather.

No matter which full-time or part-time job type in road construction you’re interested in, Joblist is here to help job seekers in their search. We make it easy to find the best road construction jobs by scouring the internet and placing all of the top opportunities in our database. Take our short job search survey, then we’ll create a list of job descriptions tailored to your job training, education, and years of experience.

Spend less time looking through job postings and more time applying for the ones that are right for you with Joblist.