The APWA's 2018 Salary Survey Results

Counting his money
Photo by Alexander Mils on Unsplash

Now serving as vice president of Batista Group, Patrick Ryan previously spent years as assistant director at the Village of Homewood, where he oversaw the work of a 27-person crew responsible for the maintenance and operation of infrastructure. Supplementing more than a decade of municipal management experience, Patrick Ryan holds membership with the American Public Works Association (APWA).

Last November, for the first time in almost 30 years, the APWA released the results of a salary survey of public works employees. In addition to compensation, the report offered detailed looks at employer-sponsored benefits and levels of education throughout the public works industry. The survey was conducted by Industry Insights, Inc., and involved more than 2,600 respondents. It was distributed to more than 20,000 public works personnel in the US and Canada.

One of the key findings in the survey was the fact that the majority of professionals holding director positions averaged six-figure salaries, with the highest-paid directors generally working on the Pacific Coast. Public works directors in Canada averaged $153,000, which was significantly higher than those in the US. Regarding education, directors with undergraduate degrees earned $40,000 more than those without one. The survey also showed that 46.5 percent of personnel have flexible work hours.