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.
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.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 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 period | Amount |
|---|---|
| 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.
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Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $70,100 | 3,420 |
| Washington | $64,760 | 40,530 |
| District of Columbia | $64,170 | 830 |
| New Jersey | $63,570 | 47,980 |
| Massachusetts | $63,030 | 30,890 |
| Nevada | $62,290 | 15,010 |
| New York | $62,050 | 63,700 |
| Minnesota | $61,990 | 38,770 |
| Oregon | $61,980 | 23,970 |
| Colorado | $61,500 | 25,350 |
| North Dakota | $60,910 | 11,870 |
| Vermont | $60,830 | 3,560 |
| Utah | $60,620 | 25,060 |
| Connecticut | $60,490 | 15,740 |
| Illinois | $60,320 | 84,200 |
| Wyoming | $60,310 | 6,050 |
| Indiana | $60,290 | 59,090 |
| New Hampshire | $60,280 | 6,960 |
| California | $60,230 | 205,090 |
| Rhode Island | $60,190 | 3,620 |
| Hawaii | $59,820 | 4,070 |
| Ohio | $59,800 | 83,060 |
| Maryland | $59,360 | 29,150 |
| Kansas | $58,920 | 24,220 |
| Montana | $58,870 | 7,830 |
| Idaho | $58,770 | 15,920 |
| South Dakota | $58,690 | 6,470 |
| Tennessee | $58,620 | 64,890 |
| Wisconsin | $58,610 | 53,330 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,580 | 87,550 |
| Nebraska | $58,390 | 23,160 |
| Arizona | $58,080 | 40,150 |
| Iowa | $58,070 | 35,040 |
| Delaware | $57,590 | 9,040 |
| Michigan | $57,180 | 60,800 |
| Georgia | $57,050 | 74,840 |
| Maine | $57,050 | 9,980 |
| Virginia | $56,860 | 48,750 |
| Kentucky | $56,340 | 31,760 |
| Texas | $56,290 | 209,680 |
| Missouri | $54,550 | 47,760 |
| Oklahoma | $54,410 | 27,840 |
| Alabama | $52,120 | 36,650 |
| Mississippi | $51,820 | 24,160 |
| Arkansas | $51,550 | 32,220 |
| North Carolina | $51,530 | 62,400 |
| South Carolina | $51,130 | 34,170 |
| Florida | $50,640 | 112,920 |
| New Mexico | $50,500 | 11,820 |
| West Virginia | $49,480 | 12,190 |
| Louisiana | $49,320 | 28,540 |
| Virgin Islands | $43,270 | 240 |
| Guam | $38,760 | 480 |
| Puerto Rico | $25,510 | 10,480 |
Best-paying metro areas for heavy and Tractor-Trailer truck drivers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Lincoln, NE | $81,790 | 4,530 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $76,560 | 590 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $71,240 | 21,230 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $70,730 | 5,360 |
| Morristown, TN | $67,330 | 1,470 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $66,450 | 16,450 |
| Anchorage, AK | $66,190 | 1,620 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $65,040 | 65,100 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $64,200 | 20,430 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $64,010 | 20,090 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $63,900 | 14,320 |
| Boulder, CO | $63,810 | 650 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $63,800 | 14,370 |
| Reno, NV | $63,790 | 4,170 |
| Cheyenne, WY | $63,540 | 1,060 |
Metro areas with the most heavy and Tractor-Trailer truck drivers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 65,100 | $65,040 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 62,210 | $62,300 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 61,270 | $60,340 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 55,670 | $59,530 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 49,750 | $56,840 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 41,830 | $59,100 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 40,230 | $60,580 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 32,220 | $59,370 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 30,480 | $59,770 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 29,060 | $51,580 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 25,780 | $59,120 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 21,230 | $71,240 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 20,480 | $61,980 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 20,430 | $64,200 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 20,430 | $59,820 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
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.