How much do truck drivers make?

Truck Driver salary 2026 · BLS occupation: Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (SOC 53-3032) · Updated October 28, 2026

Answer

Truck drivers in the US earned a median of $58,640 a year ($28.19 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned $47,960 to $69,120.

Median annual pay: $58,640; Mean $59,710
Median hourly pay: $28.19; Mean $28.71
Typical range (10th–90th): $40.1K–$79.4K; $40,140 to $79,380
US jobs: 2,062,040; +3.8% projected, 2025–35

BLS OEWS, May 2025, released April 30, 2026. Wages include tips, commissions and production bonuses but not overtime premiums, shift differentials, other bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers are not included. Methodology

How to become a truck driver: steps, years and cost · Best-paying state after cost of living: Alaska

Truck Driver pay range

Annual wages, May 2025

10th percentile$40,140
25th percentile$47,960
Median$58,640
75th percentile$69,120
90th percentile$79,380

Half of all truck drivers earned more than $58,640 and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% made under $40,140; the top 10% made over $79,380. The middle 50%, from the 25th to the 75th percentile, ran from $47,960 to $69,120.

These percentiles describe everyone in the occupation at one time. They are not pay steps by years of experience: they mix new and senior workers, different states, employers and hours. Pay generally rises with experience, credentials and specialization, but BLS does not publish pay by experience.

Percentile	Annual	Hourly	Monthly
10th	$40,140	$19.30	$3,345
25th	$47,960	$23.06	$3,997
Median (50th)	$58,640	$28.19	$4,887
75th	$69,120	$33.23	$5,760
90th	$79,380	$38.17	$6,615
Mean (average)	$59,710	$28.71	$4,976

Truck Driver salary by state

Median annual pay; cost of living from BEA regional price parities 2024

Median annual pay for truck drivers by state. Darker tiles pay more.

Highest-paying states

1. Alaska $70,100
2. Washington $64,760
3. District of Columbia $64,170
4. New Jersey $63,570
5. Massachusetts $63,030

Lowest-paying states

51. Louisiana $49,320
50. West Virginia $49,480
49. New Mexico $50,500
48. Florida $50,640
47. South Carolina $51,130

Best after cost of living: Alaska. Its median of $70,100 is worth about $68,484 at national-average prices.


Alabama	$52,120	43	$58,678	33	$25.06	36,650	17.34
Alaska	$70,100	1	$68,484	1	$33.70	3,420	10.50
Arizona	$58,080	32	$57,689	40	$27.92	40,150	12.39
Arkansas	$51,550	45	$59,296	29	$24.79	32,220	24.72
California	$60,230	19	$54,398	50	$28.96	205,090	11.26
Colorado	$61,500	10	$59,679	25	$29.57	25,350	8.82
Connecticut	$60,490	14	$58,382	36	$29.08	15,740	9.28
Delaware	$57,590	34	$57,701	39	$27.69	9,040	18.64
District of Columbia	$64,170	3	$58,389	35	$30.85	830	1.18
Florida	$50,640	48	$48,968	51	$24.34	112,920	11.37
Georgia	$57,050	36	$59,246	30	$27.43	74,840	15.31
Hawaii	$59,820	21	$54,406	49	$28.76	4,070	6.49
Idaho	$58,770	26	$61,543	18	$28.26	15,920	18.56
Illinois	$60,320	15	$60,345	21	$29.00	84,200	13.81
Indiana	$60,290	17	$64,599	8	$28.99	59,090	18.46
Iowa	$58,070	33	$66,168	4	$27.92	35,040	22.47
Kansas	$58,920	24	$65,417	5	$28.33	24,220	16.85
Kentucky	$56,340	39	$62,490	12	$27.09	31,760	15.88
Louisiana	$49,320	51	$55,914	44	$23.71	28,540	14.75
Maine	$57,050	37	$58,784	32	$27.43	9,980	15.58
Maryland	$59,360	23	$56,555	42	$28.54	29,150	10.55
Massachusetts	$63,030	5	$59,599	26	$30.30	30,890	8.49
Michigan	$57,180	35	$59,428	28	$27.49	60,800	13.81
Minnesota	$61,990	8	$62,857	11	$29.80	38,770	13.14
Mississippi	$51,820	44	$59,595	27	$24.92	24,160	20.77
Missouri	$54,550	41	$60,066	22	$26.23	47,760	16.27
Montana	$58,870	25	$62,201	15	$28.30	7,830	15.30
Nebraska	$58,390	31	$64,804	7	$28.07	23,160	22.61
Nevada	$62,290	6	$62,303	13	$29.95	15,010	9.68
New Hampshire	$60,280	18	$57,870	38	$28.98	6,960	10.18
New Jersey	$63,570	4	$58,426	34	$30.56	47,980	11.20
New Mexico	$50,500	49	$54,765	46	$24.28	11,820	13.57
New York	$62,050	7	$57,496	41	$29.83	63,700	6.58
North Carolina	$51,530	46	$54,630	47	$24.77	62,400	12.63
North Dakota	$60,910	11	$68,470	2	$29.29	11,870	27.64
Ohio	$59,800	22	$64,458	9	$28.75	83,060	14.96
Oklahoma	$54,410	42	$61,940	17	$26.16	27,840	16.30
Oregon	$61,980	9	$59,965	24	$29.80	23,970	12.19
Pennsylvania	$58,580	30	$60,038	23	$28.16	87,550	14.44
Rhode Island	$60,190	20	$58,848	31	$28.94	3,620	7.23
South Carolina	$51,130	47	$54,539	48	$24.58	34,170	14.82
South Dakota	$58,690	27	$66,252	3	$28.21	6,470	14.15
Tennessee	$58,620	28	$63,808	10	$28.18	64,890	19.79
Texas	$56,290	40	$57,997	37	$27.06	209,680	14.90
Utah	$60,620	13	$61,317	19	$29.15	25,060	14.44
Vermont	$60,830	12	$62,098	16	$29.25	3,560	11.73
Virginia	$56,860	38	$56,239	43	$27.34	48,750	11.86
Washington	$64,760	2	$60,516	20	$31.13	40,530	11.41
West Virginia	$49,480	50	$55,287	45	$23.79	12,190	17.37
Wisconsin	$58,610	29	$62,288	14	$28.18	53,330	18.13
Wyoming	$60,310	16	$65,066	6	$28.99	6,050	21.57

BLS OEWS, May 2025, state estimates. Adjusted pay = median ÷ (state price level ÷ 100), using BEA regional price parities for 2024; it ignores taxes. Figures for states with few workers in the occupation have larger survey errors and can change sharply from one year to the next. “—” means BLS did not publish the figure. State names link to each state’s highest-paying jobs.

Best-paying metro areas for truck drivers

387 metro areas with published pay

Highest median pay
Metro area	Median	Adjusted	Jobs
Lincoln, NE	$81,790	$89,309	4,530
Fairbanks-College, AK	$76,560	$74,180	590
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$71,240	$64,103	21,230
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$70,730	$64,054	5,360
Morristown, TN	$67,330	$77,961	1,470
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$66,450	$57,476	16,450
Anchorage, AK	$66,190	$62,787	1,620
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$65,040	$57,781	65,100
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$64,200	$61,247	20,430
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$64,010	$59,123	20,090

Most jobs
Metro area	Jobs	Median	Adjusted
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	65,100	$65,040	$57,781
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	62,210	$62,300	$60,138
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	61,270	$60,340	$53,132
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	55,670	$59,530	$57,746
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	49,750	$56,840	$57,630
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	41,830	$59,100	$59,066
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	40,230	$60,580	$56,914
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	32,220	$59,370	$57,891
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	30,480	$59,770	$57,852
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	29,060	$51,580	$45,184

BLS OEWS, May 2025, metropolitan statistical areas; adjusted with BEA metro price parities (2024).

What moves truck driver pay: employers and settings

Location is one of the clearest pay factors for truck drivers. Alaska leads with a median of $70,100, followed by Washington at $64,760, the District of Columbia at $64,170, New Jersey at $63,570, and Massachusetts at $63,030. The lowest medians are in New Mexico at $50,500, West Virginia at $49,480, and Louisiana at $49,320. After adjusting for living costs, Alaska is still on top, at $68,484 adjusted.

Who you drive for matters too. Truck transportation companies pay a median of $60,320 and parcel carriers $60,040. Warehousing pays $60,390 and grocery and other nondurable-goods wholesalers $61,320. Concrete and gravel haulers in mineral product manufacturing pay $57,390. Federal government drivers, including the Postal Service, have a median of $69,700. Local government drivers are lower at $53,440.

Pay runs from $40,140, the 10th percentile, to $79,380, the 90th. Many drivers are paid by the mile or by the load rather than by the hour, so miles driven, freight type, hazmat or tanker endorsements, and how much home time you give up all affect what lands in a paycheck.

Where truck drivers work
Industry	Share of jobs	Median pay
Truck Transportation	43.7%	$60,320
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only)	5%	$61,320
Couriers and Express Delivery Services	4.8%	$60,040
Warehousing and Storage	4.5%	$60,390
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing	3.6%	$57,390
Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only)	3.1%	$56,970

Private employers and government
Employer type	Jobs	Median pay
Private employers	2,034,860	$58,610
Federal government (incl. Postal Service)	7,780	$69,700
State government (incl. schools and hospitals)	1,060	$61,070
Local government (incl. schools and hospitals)	18,350	$53,440

BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry-specific and ownership estimates (4-digit NAICS).

Truck Driver pay over time

Median annual pay, 2015–2025

$58.6K $40.3K

2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Nominal median (dollars of each year)In May 2025 dollars (adjusted with CPI-U)

The median rose from $40,260 in 2015 to $58,640 in 2025, up 46% in nominal dollars. After inflation, the 2015 median is worth $54,424 in May 2025 dollars, so real pay grew 8% over the period.

BLS OEWS, May 2025 and earlier May releases; inflation from the CPI-U, US city average, May of each year.

What truck drivers do

A truck driver in this occupation operates a tractor-trailer or another heavy truck rated over 26,000 pounds, the 18-wheelers and big straight trucks that move most U.S. freight. All of them need a commercial driver's license, which is why the job is also called CDL driver or semi truck driver. Some are over-the-road (OTR) truckers who stay out for days or weeks crossing several states; others run regional routes or local runs and sleep at home.

About 44% of heavy truck drivers in our data work for trucking companies. The rest drive for grocery and other wholesalers, parcel and express carriers, warehouses, and building-material producers such as concrete and gravel suppliers. A typical shift starts with a pre-trip inspection, then hours of highway and city driving, fuel stops and paperwork at shippers and receivers. Some drivers load or unload freight themselves. Federal hours-of-service rules cap how long a trucker can drive, and every hour is tracked in an electronic log.

A typical day

Walk around the truck and trailer before leaving to check tires, brakes, lights and coupling
Plan the route around weight limits, low bridges, weather and delivery appointments
Drive long stretches of highway and back into tight docks at warehouses and stores
Check that bills of lading and other shipping papers match the load
Secure cargo with straps, chains or load bars, and sometimes unload it by hand or forklift
Log driving and on-duty time in the electronic logging device and take required breaks
Report mechanical problems and accidents to the dispatcher and fill out inspection reports

Also called: trucker, cdl driver, semi truck driver, otr truck driver, truck drivers, 18 wheeler driver, cdl driver (commercial driver's license driver), driver.

How to become a truck driver

Full guide

To become a truck driver you get a commercial learner's permit, complete federally required entry-level driver training with a registered provider (often a 3- to 6-month CDL school program), and pass the CDL skills test. You must be 21 to drive across state lines.

Typical time: 3-6 months; Fastest: About 1-2 months
Minimum education: No formal degree required; most companies require a high school diploma or equivalent
License: Commercial driver's license (CDL) required in all states; Class A for tractor-trailers
Typical training cost: $2.3K–$4.6K; See the guide for what it includes

Read the step-by-step guide to becoming a truck driver: each step with its time and cost, education options, exams, licensing and advancement.

Is it worth it? Training cost against pay

Compare careers

Training time: 3-6 months; Typical path in our guide
Training cost: $2.3K–$4.6K; Tuition and exam fees, before aid
Median pay: $58,640; $7,660 above the all-jobs median ($50,980)
Cost vs. one year's pay: 4–8%; Training cost as a share of a year at the median

Once qualified, the pay difference over the typical US job at the median ($7,660 a year before tax) would repay the training cost in less than a year after training ends (3-6 months in our guide). This is a rough guide: it ignores taxes, financial aid, interest, earnings given up while training and how pay changes over a career. How we calculate ROI.

Job outlook for truck drivers

BLS Employment Projections 2025–35

Projected growth: +3.8%; All occupations +3.5%
Jobs in 2025: 2,221,200; 2,305,000 projected for 2035
Openings each year: 214,500; New jobs plus replacements
Self-employed: 7.3%; Not in the pay figures above

BLS projects heavy truck driver jobs to grow 3.8% from 2025 to 2035, from 2,221,200 to 2,305,000. That is close to the 3.5% average for all occupations. The bigger number is turnover: about 214,500 openings are expected each year, mostly to replace drivers who retire or leave for other work.

Freight demand tracks the economy. More people and more goods mean more loads moving between ports, warehouses and stores, and online shopping keeps delivery volumes high. Trucking is cyclical, so hiring can slow sharply when freight volumes fall.

Related careers and their pay

Related occupations from O*NET 31.0; median annual pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Truck Driver salary FAQ

How much do truck drivers make an hour?

The median hourly wage for truck drivers was $28.19 in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $19.30 an hour and the highest-paid 10% more than $38.17. Hourly figures are BLS estimates for all workers in the occupation, full-time and part-time.

Which state pays truck drivers the most?

Alaska has the highest median pay for truck drivers, $70,100 a year, followed by Washington ($64,760) and District of Columbia ($64,170). After adjusting for each state's price level, Alaska comes out ahead at about $68,484 in national-average dollars.

Do truck drivers make six figures?

Few do: based on the BLS percentiles, fewer than 10% of truck drivers earn more than $100,000 a year. The median is $58,640, and the top 10% earn more than $79,380. Pay generally rises with experience, specialization and location.

Do OTR truck drivers make more than local drivers?

BLS does not split pay by route type, so our figures cover all heavy truck drivers. Long-haul jobs often pay by the mile and can add up because drivers are on the road most of the week. Local jobs are more often hourly and include nights at home, but may involve more loading and unloading. Compare offers on weekly pay, home time and benefits together.

Which states have the most truck driving jobs?

Texas has the most heavy truck drivers, with 209,680, followed closely by California with 205,090. Florida has 112,920, Pennsylvania 87,550 and Illinois 84,200. These are big freight states with large ports, highways and distribution centers. The highest-paying states are different: Alaska, Washington and the District of Columbia have the top medians.

Has truck driver pay kept up with inflation?

Yes, modestly. The median rose from $40,260 in 2015 to $58,640 in 2025. Adjusted to 2025 dollars, the 2015 median was $54,424 and the typical trucker now earns somewhat more in real terms than a decade ago. These are medians for all heavy truck drivers; individual pay depends on how a carrier pays (per mile, per load or hourly) and how much a driver runs.

Sources

Data updated October 28, 2026 · Text checked against its sources October 28, 2026

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released April 30, 2026, SOC 53-3032
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035, released September 2026
O*NET 31.0 Database (53-3032.00), U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0; tasks rewritten by Careers and Salaries
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state and metro area, 2024
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, May values
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study and institution data, most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers, Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
49 CFR 383.71, Driver application and certification procedures, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives) · checked October 28, 2026
49 CFR 391.11, General qualifications of drivers, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives) · checked October 28, 2026
49 CFR 383.25, Commercial learner's permit, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives) · checked October 28, 2026
49 CFR 391.45, Persons who must be medically examined and certified, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives) · checked October 28, 2026
49 CFR 380.609, General entry-level driver training requirements, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives) · checked October 28, 2026
HAZMAT Endorsement, Transportation Security Administration · checked October 28, 2026
License Finder, CareerOneStop, U.S. Department of Labor · checked October 28, 2026
49 CFR 395.3, Maximum driving time for property-carrying vehicles, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives) · checked October 28, 2026
49 CFR Part 380, Appendix A: Class A CDL Training Curriculum, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives) · checked October 28, 2026
49 CFR 383.91 and 383.93, Vehicle groups and endorsements, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives) · checked October 28, 2026

Careers and Salaries is not affiliated with the Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Found an error? Tell us; corrections are listed on the editorial policy page.