[Objective] This paper put forward soil erosion monitoring method for highway construction in order to provide basis for the layout of soil and water conservation measures and benefit calculation.[Methods] Taking Yuanjiang section on secondary road from Yuanjiang to Honghe in Yunnan Province as an example, a comparative analysis was conducted to reveal the differences between the conventional monitoring methods and the monitoring methods by dividing different topographic units under the same conditions.[Results] By applying the conventional monitoring methods, the amount of soil and water loss during highway construction was 102 058 t, while it was 56 378 t by applying the monitoring methods by dividing different topographic units. The accuracy of the monitoring method of soil and water loss by dividing different topographic units was higher, according to the comparative analysis.[Conclusion] Using different topographic units to monitor soil and water loss, can better reflect the characteristics of soil and water loss during the highway construction in Yunnan Province.