Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $40,140 | $19.30 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $58,640 | $28.19 |
| Mean (average) | $59,710 | $28.71 |
| 90th percentile | $79,380 | $38.17 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $52,120 | $38,240 | $77,620 | 36,650 | 1.31 |
| Alaska | $70,100 | $48,080 | $90,610 | 3,420 | 0.79 |
| Arizona | $58,080 | $42,580 | $76,550 | 40,150 | 0.93 |
| Arkansas | $51,550 | $36,770 | $81,110 | 32,220 | 1.86 |
| California | $60,230 | $41,830 | $81,960 | 205,090 | 0.85 |
| Colorado | $61,500 | $47,010 | $80,570 | 25,350 | 0.67 |
| Connecticut | $60,490 | $47,160 | $77,360 | 15,740 | 0.7 |
| Delaware | $57,590 | $46,850 | $69,770 | 9,040 | 1.41 |
| District of Columbia | $64,170 | $51,500 | $84,000 | 830 | 0.09 |
| Florida | $50,640 | $37,700 | $74,330 | 112,920 | 0.86 |
| Georgia | $57,050 | $38,150 | $77,900 | 74,840 | 1.15 |
| Guam | $38,760 | $29,560 | $48,950 | 480 | 0.54 |
| Hawaii | $59,820 | $47,480 | $74,530 | 4,070 | 0.49 |
| Idaho | $58,770 | $43,360 | $77,120 | 15,920 | 1.4 |
| Illinois | $60,320 | $39,710 | $86,300 | 84,200 | 1.04 |
| Indiana | $60,290 | $42,060 | $79,000 | 59,090 | 1.39 |
| Iowa | $58,070 | $42,390 | $77,910 | 35,040 | 1.69 |
| Kansas | $58,920 | $43,760 | $78,910 | 24,220 | 1.27 |
| Kentucky | $56,340 | $38,670 | $85,630 | 31,760 | 1.2 |
| Louisiana | $49,320 | $36,710 | $68,740 | 28,540 | 1.11 |
| Maine | $57,050 | $40,810 | $71,100 | 9,980 | 1.18 |
| Maryland | $59,360 | $43,670 | $79,130 | 29,150 | 0.8 |
| Massachusetts | $63,030 | $47,080 | $78,480 | 30,890 | 0.64 |
| Michigan | $57,180 | $40,280 | $73,980 | 60,800 | 1.04 |
| Minnesota | $61,990 | $45,910 | $81,830 | 38,770 | 0.99 |
| Mississippi | $51,820 | $35,710 | $79,550 | 24,160 | 1.57 |
| Missouri | $54,550 | $37,860 | $77,510 | 47,760 | 1.23 |
| Montana | $58,870 | $46,040 | $74,120 | 7,830 | 1.15 |
| Nebraska | $58,390 | $40,150 | $81,790 | 23,160 | 1.7 |
| Nevada | $62,290 | $45,860 | $83,090 | 15,010 | 0.73 |
| New Hampshire | $60,280 | $47,370 | $74,200 | 6,960 | 0.77 |
| New Jersey | $63,570 | $47,950 | $90,310 | 47,980 | 0.84 |
| New Mexico | $50,500 | $38,540 | $65,990 | 11,820 | 1.02 |
| New York | $62,050 | $47,880 | $88,100 | 63,700 | 0.5 |
| North Carolina | $51,530 | $39,400 | $76,360 | 62,400 | 0.95 |
| North Dakota | $60,910 | $47,990 | $83,330 | 11,870 | 2.08 |
| Ohio | $59,800 | $43,670 | $77,650 | 83,060 | 1.13 |
| Oklahoma | $54,410 | $37,420 | $80,330 | 27,840 | 1.23 |
| Oregon | $61,980 | $47,700 | $81,220 | 23,970 | 0.92 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,580 | $43,560 | $78,330 | 87,550 | 1.09 |
| Puerto Rico | $25,510 | $21,840 | $36,050 | 10,480 | 0.84 |
| Rhode Island | $60,190 | $45,600 | $75,120 | 3,620 | 0.55 |
| South Carolina | $51,130 | $39,330 | $77,070 | 34,170 | 1.12 |
| South Dakota | $58,690 | $41,590 | $78,610 | 6,470 | 1.07 |
| Tennessee | $58,620 | $39,960 | $83,280 | 64,890 | 1.49 |
| Texas | $56,290 | $38,150 | $79,400 | 209,680 | 1.12 |
| Utah | $60,620 | $44,320 | $76,360 | 25,060 | 1.09 |
| Vermont | $60,830 | $48,900 | $74,700 | 3,560 | 0.88 |
| Virgin Islands | $43,270 | $31,770 | $63,070 | 240 | 0.56 |
| Virginia | $56,860 | $38,180 | $77,040 | 48,750 | 0.89 |
| Washington | $64,760 | $50,010 | $87,500 | 40,530 | 0.86 |
| West Virginia | $49,480 | $36,350 | $72,230 | 12,190 | 1.31 |
| Wisconsin | $58,610 | $44,920 | $76,380 | 53,330 | 1.37 |
| Wyoming | $60,310 | $45,860 | $84,670 | 6,050 | 1.63 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 214,500. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 7.3%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Check all load-related documentation for completeness and accuracy.
- Inspect loads to ensure that cargo is secure.
- Check vehicles to ensure that mechanical, safety, and emergency equipment is in good working order.
- Crank trailer landing gear up or down to safely secure vehicles.
- Obtain receipts or signatures for delivered goods and collect payment for services when required.
- Maintain logs of working hours or of vehicle service or repair status, following applicable state and federal regulations.
- Read bills of lading to determine assignment details.
- Report vehicle defects, accidents, traffic violations, or damage to the vehicles.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- 3M Post-it App
- ADP ezLaborManager
- ALK Technologies PC*Miler
- Computerized inventory tracking software
- Eko
- Evernote
- Fog Line Software Truckn Pro
- Inventory tracking software
- MarcoSoft Quo Vadis
- Omnitracs Performance Monitoring
Transferable skills for career changers: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Troubleshooting, Time Management, Equipment Maintenance, Repairing.
Common job titles: CDL Driver (Commercial Driver's License Driver), Driver, Line Haul Driver, Log Truck Driver, Over the Road Driver (OTR Driver), Production Truck Driver, Road Driver, Semi Truck Driver, Tractor Trailer Driver, Truck Driver.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make?
The national median annual wage for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers was $58,640 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $40,140 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $79,380. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers need?
BLS lists postsecondary nondegree award as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers to change +3.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 214,500 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Alaska ($70,100), Washington ($64,760), District of Columbia ($64,170). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.