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Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary in the U.S.

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in the U.S. earn a median of $58,640 a year ($28.19 an hour), based on BLS data for 2,062,040 workers.

Median salary
$58,640
Hourly
$28.19
Average
$59,710
Top 10% earn
$79,380
Workers
2,062,040

Pay ranges from $40,140 for the lowest-paid 10% to $79,380 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $59,710, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.

Pay range for heavy and Tractor-Trailer truck drivers in the U.S.

$0$90,000
Pay levelYearlyHourly
10th percentile (entry level)$40,140$19.30
25th percentile$47,960$23.06
Median$58,640$28.19
75th percentile$69,120$33.23
90th percentile (top earners)$79,380$38.17
Average (mean)$59,710$28.71

Half of heavy and Tractor-Trailer truck drivers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.

Median paycheck, before taxes

Pay periodAmount
Monthly$4,886.67
Semi-monthly (24 a year)$2,443.33
Biweekly (26 a year)$2,255.38
Weekly$1,127.69
Hourly$28.19

Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary by state

StateMedian salaryWorkers
Alaska$70,1003,420
Washington$64,76040,530
District of Columbia$64,170830
New Jersey$63,57047,980
Massachusetts$63,03030,890
Nevada$62,29015,010
New York$62,05063,700
Minnesota$61,99038,770
Oregon$61,98023,970
Colorado$61,50025,350
North Dakota$60,91011,870
Vermont$60,8303,560
Utah$60,62025,060
Connecticut$60,49015,740
Illinois$60,32084,200
Wyoming$60,3106,050
Indiana$60,29059,090
New Hampshire$60,2806,960
California$60,230205,090
Rhode Island$60,1903,620
Hawaii$59,8204,070
Ohio$59,80083,060
Maryland$59,36029,150
Kansas$58,92024,220
Montana$58,8707,830
Idaho$58,77015,920
South Dakota$58,6906,470
Tennessee$58,62064,890
Wisconsin$58,61053,330
Pennsylvania$58,58087,550
Nebraska$58,39023,160
Arizona$58,08040,150
Iowa$58,07035,040
Delaware$57,5909,040
Michigan$57,18060,800
Georgia$57,05074,840
Maine$57,0509,980
Virginia$56,86048,750
Kentucky$56,34031,760
Texas$56,290209,680
Missouri$54,55047,760
Oklahoma$54,41027,840
Alabama$52,12036,650
Mississippi$51,82024,160
Arkansas$51,55032,220
North Carolina$51,53062,400
South Carolina$51,13034,170
Florida$50,640112,920
New Mexico$50,50011,820
West Virginia$49,48012,190
Louisiana$49,32028,540
Virgin Islands$43,270240
Guam$38,760480
Puerto Rico$25,51010,480

Best-paying metro areas for heavy and Tractor-Trailer truck drivers

Metro areaMedian salaryWorkers
Lincoln, NE$81,7904,530
Fairbanks-College, AK$76,560590
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$71,24021,230
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$70,7305,360
Morristown, TN$67,3301,470
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$66,45016,450
Anchorage, AK$66,1901,620
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$65,04065,100
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$64,20020,430
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$64,01020,090
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$63,90014,320
Boulder, CO$63,810650
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$63,80014,370
Reno, NV$63,7904,170
Cheyenne, WY$63,5401,060

Metro areas with the most heavy and Tractor-Trailer truck drivers

Metro areaWorkersMedian salary
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ65,100$65,040
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN62,210$62,300
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA61,270$60,340
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX55,670$59,530
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX49,750$56,840
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA41,830$59,100
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA40,230$60,580
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD32,220$59,370
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ30,480$59,770
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL29,060$51,580
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI25,780$59,120
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA21,230$71,240
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN20,480$61,980
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI20,430$64,200
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV20,430$59,820

Related jobs in the U.S.

JobMedian salaryHourly
Light Truck Driver$44,860$21.57
Driver/Sales Worker$38,770$18.64
Bus Drivers, School$47,920$23.04
Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs$37,290$17.93
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity$59,050$28.39
Motor Vehicle Operators, All Other$37,180$17.87
Taxi Driver$42,100$20.24
Ambulance Drivers and Attendants, Except Emergency Medical Technicians$35,450$17.04
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,240$19.35
Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330$17.95
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$46,420$22.32
First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors$62,890$30.23
Packers and Packagers, Hand$36,280$17.44
Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment$35,830$17.23

More: Transportation and Material Moving Occupations

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 53-3032. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a heavy and Tractor-Trailer truck drivers make in the U.S.?

The median salary for heavy and Tractor-Trailer truck drivers in the U.S. is $58,640 a year, or $28.19 an hour. Pay ranges from $40,140 for the lowest-paid 10% to $79,380 for the top 10%.

How much do the highest-paid heavy and Tractor-Trailer truck drivers make in the U.S.?

The top 10% of heavy and Tractor-Trailer truck drivers in the U.S. earn at least $79,380 a year. The top 25% earn $69,120 or more.

What is the starting pay for heavy and Tractor-Trailer truck drivers in the U.S.?

Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $40,140 a year, and a quarter of heavy and Tractor-Trailer truck drivers earn $47,960 or less.

How many heavy and Tractor-Trailer truck drivers work in the U.S.?

About 2,062,040 heavy and Tractor-Trailer truck drivers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.