- National median: $57,440/yr (BLS OES May 2024, SOC 53-3032 — Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Drivers). P25–P75: $47,230–$65,520; mean $58,400; top 10% exceed $78,800. 2,070,480 employed — one of the top-10 largest occupations in the U.S.
- Route type matters more than the headline: OTR (over-the-road) leads gross at $65–90K with experience but low real-per-hour after away-from-home time; regional (home weekly) and local/dedicated (home daily) often net comparable take-home with much better quality of life.
- Owner-operator gross runs $200–300K but nets $70–110K after truck payment, fuel, insurance, maintenance, and SE tax. Modest premium over company-driver pay with substantially higher capital risk.
- Real wage leaders: ND ($66,879 real), WY ($65,832), IN ($65,246). Top nominal payers (AK/NJ/WA: $64,890/$64,720/$63,760) reflect oilfield, ports, and Teamster strongholds.
- CDL-A school pays back in <6 months ($4–8K, 4–8 weeks, often carrier-reimbursed). Endorsements (hazmat / tanker / doubles) add $500–$2K cost and unlock 5–15% wage premiums.
Where the spread is.
The same job, fifty-one wages.
Sorted by real P50 descending. Real wage is the BLS nominal P50 divided by the state's BEA RPP — the dollar that buys the same basket as the national average. Each row links to the full state page.
| Rank | ST | State | Real P50 | Nom. P50 | Distribution P10–P90 | RPP | Emp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | ND | North Dakota | $66,879▲13% | $58,970 | 88.2 | 11K | |
| 02 | WY | Wyoming | $65,832▲9% | $60,270 | 91.6 | 7K | |
| 03 | IN | Indiana | $65,246▲9% | $60,090 | 92.1 | 58K | |
| 04 | MT | Montana | $64,891▲10% | $59,060 | 91 | 7K | |
| 05 | SD | South Dakota | $64,527▲13% | $56,880 | 88.1 | 6K | |
| 06 | NE | Nebraska | $64,172▲11% | $57,940 | 90.3 | 24K | |
| 07 | KS | Kansas | $63,331▲11% | $56,940 | 89.9 | 23K | |
| 08 | OH | Ohio | $63,197▲9% | $58,080 | 91.9 | 91K | |
| · · · · · 38 states omitted · · · · · | |||||||
| 47 | AZ | Arizona | $53,295▼1% | $53,690 | 100.7 | 42K | |
| 48 | NM | New Mexico | $53,154▲10% | $48,360 | 91 | 11K | |
| 49 | ME | Maine | $53,009▲2% | $51,930 | 98 | 10K | |
| 50 | NC | North Carolina | $52,522▲6% | $49,580 | 94.4 | 65K | |
| 51 | FL | Florida | $48,246▼4% | $50,000 | 103.6 | 106K | |
| RPP source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2023 release. P10–P90 from BLS OEWS May 2024. | Real P50 = Nominal P50 × (100 / RPP) | ||||||
Truck Driver Salary at a Glance (BLS OEWS public API v2, May 2024)
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (BLS code 53-3032) are one of the top-10 largest occupations in the United States — 2,070,480 employed, moving the bulk of U.S. freight volume. The May 2024 OES release shows an annual median wage of $57,440 with a mean of $58,400. Middle 50% earn $47,230–$65,520; top 10% exceed $78,800.
The single SOC pools every Class A driver from a 6-month rookie at a large national carrier to a 25-year Teamster LTL driver pulling top scale. Real differentiation by route type (OTR / regional / local), specialty (oversize / hazmat / reefer / dedicated), employer (national carrier / LTL / private fleet), and union status drives most of the wage spread.
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly equivalent (2080hr) |
|---|---|---|
| P10 | $38,640 | $18.58 |
| P25 | $47,230 | $22.71 |
| P50 (median) | $57,440 | $27.62 |
| P75 | $65,520 | $31.50 |
| P90 | $78,800 | $37.88 |
| Mean | $58,400 | $28.08 |
BLS OES 53-3032, May 2024 release. Last synced 2026-05-05. W-2 wages only — owner-operator gross revenue and net (post-expense) pay are not included; per-diem allowances vary by carrier.
By Route: OTR vs Regional vs Local — Real Take-Home Comparison
The headline trucking wage hides a major quality-of-life and per-hour difference between route types. Gross pay favors OTR, but real per-hour pay (counting away-from-home time as cost) often favors local and dedicated.
| Route type | Typical gross/yr | Home time | Per-hour reality |
|---|---|---|---|
| OTR (over-the-road) | $65–90K | Out 2–4 weeks at a time | Lower per-hour once away time is counted |
| Regional | $60–80K | Home weekends | Comparable per-hour to OTR with much better QOL |
| Local / dedicated | $55–75K (top routes $80K+) | Home daily | Often the best real per-hour, especially union LTL |
| Owner-operator (gross) | $200–300K gross / $70–110K net | Variable | High capital risk, modest premium over company driver after expenses |
OTR is the headline path; regional and dedicated are often the smarter career. Top OTR contracts paying $90K/yr require 280+ days on the road. The same driver running dedicated lanes at $75K with 250 days at home earns less gross but typically more real per-hour and dramatically better quality of life. Union LTL drivers (Teamsters at major carriers) often combine top scale, full pension, and home-daily routing.
By State: Real Take-Home After RPP Adjustment
Oilfield states (ND, AK, TX), port-logistics states (CA, NJ, NY), and Teamster strongholds drive the top of nominal pay. After BEA Regional Price Parity (2023), the ranking shifts substantially — high-RPP states erode their nominal lead.
Top 5 — Nominal Median (P50)
| State | P50 | RPP | Real P50 |
|---|---|---|---|
| AK | $64,890 | 103.3 | $62,819 |
| NJ | $64,720 | 108.9 | $59,408 |
| WA | $63,760 | 108.4 | $58,835 |
| DC | $63,610 | 110.7 | $57,455 |
| OR | $61,180 | 104.8 | $58,371 |
Top 5 — Real Take-Home (RPP-Adjusted)
| State | P50 | RPP | Real P50 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ND | $58,970 | 88.2 | $66,879 |
| WY | $60,270 | 91.6 | $65,832 |
| IN | $60,090 | 92.1 | $65,246 |
| MT | $59,060 | 91.0 | $64,891 |
| SD | $56,880 | 88.1 | $64,527 |
BLS OES 53-3032 state-level + BEA RPP 2023.
The CDL Path: Cost, Timeline, and Reimbursement
- Age: 21+ for interstate CDL Class A; 18+ for intrastate (some states under FMCSA pilot allow 18–20 to drive interstate with restrictions).
- DOT physical: required, $80–150 self-pay or carrier-paid. Vision and blood-pressure standards specific.
- CDL Class A school: 4–8 weeks, $4,000–$8,000. Many large carriers (Schneider, CRST, Werner, Prime, Roehl, Stevens) reimburse fully in exchange for a 12-month commitment.
- Carrier orientation + trainer-paired driving: 2–6 weeks before solo dispatch.
- Solo first 6–12 months: typically 70–85% of full scale before transition to full pay or dedicated route.
- Endorsements: hazmat ($50–100 + TSA background), tanker ($20–80), doubles/triples ($20–80) — each unlocks 5–15% wage premiums on appropriate routes.
Total time from zero experience to full-scale company driver: typically 6–14 months. Total out-of-pocket if school is reimbursed: typically <$500 (DOT physical + permit fees). This is one of the fastest credential-to-50K-job paths in the U.S. labor market.
Premium Routes and Specialty Pay
- Oversize / heavy-haul: $80–120K, requires specialized rig and route-planning experience. Permits and pilot-car coordination add complexity.
- Hazmat tanker (chemicals, fuel): $75–110K with hazmat + tanker endorsements. Demand stable across cycles.
- Refrigerated (reefer): $70–95K, demand spikes seasonally (produce, frozen, pharma cold-chain).
- Automotive haulaway (transport-trailer car carriers): $80–110K but physically demanding; loading/unloading is the hard part.
- Port drayage (regional from Long Beach / NY-NJ / Houston): $70–95K with high overtime potential.
- Union LTL (ABF, Old Dominion non-union, Teamsters at YRC successors): top-scale + pension + medical = effective $90K–$140K total comp.
Methodology & Data Sources
Wage data: BLS OES 53-3032 (Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers), May 2024 release, fetched via the BLS OEWS public API v2, May 2024. State-level: BLS OES state files. Real-wage adjustment: BEA Regional Price Parities, BEA Regional Price Parities (SARPP), 2023. CDL pathway: FMCSA regulations. Owner-operator economics cross-referenced with industry surveys (Overdrive, ATBS, OOIDA). Union scale data: Teamsters National Master Freight Agreement and ABF/UPS Freight CBAs. Last synced: 2026-05-05. BLS does not split owner-operator from company-driver pay; owner-operator gross numbers in this page are typical industry ranges, not BLS-reported.
FAQ
- What is the national median truck driver salary in 2026?
- Per BLS OES May 2024, the national annual median wage for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (SOC 53-3032) is $57,440; the mean is $58,400. Middle 50% earn $47,230–$65,520; top 10% exceed $78,800. Total employment is 2,070,480 drivers nationally — one of the top-10 largest occupations in the country.
- OTR vs regional vs local — which actually pays more on real take-home?
- OTR (over-the-road, multi-week trips) typically leads gross at $65–90K with experience but produces low effective per-hour pay once away-from-home time is counted. Regional (home weekends) typically nets $60–80K with much better quality of life. Local / dedicated (home daily) often runs $55–75K and frequently exceeds OTR on a per-hour basis when you account for drive-time vs personal time. Union LTL routes (Teamsters at YRC/Roadway successor carriers, ABF, Old Dominion non-union) often pay above the BLS median.
- Owner-operator vs company driver — what really nets out?
- Gross revenue for an owner-operator can run $200K–$300K/year, but after truck payment ($1,500–$3,500/month), fuel ($35K–$60K/yr), insurance ($8–15K/yr), maintenance, and 15.3% self-employment tax, net take-home typically lands $70–110K — modestly above company-driver pay with substantially more risk and capital exposure. Owner-operator works best with paid-off equipment or specialty routes (oversize, hazmat, refrigerated) where the rate premium covers depreciation.
- How much does CDL school cost and how fast does it pay back?
- CDL Class A schools typically run $4,000–$8,000 over 4–8 weeks. Many large carriers (Schneider, CRST, Werner, Prime) reimburse fully in exchange for a 12-month commitment. With first-year company-driver pay around $50–65K, payback is typically inside 6 months even at full self-pay. Endorsements (hazmat $50–100, tanker $20–80, doubles/triples $20–80) add modest cost and unlock 5–15% wage premiums.
- Where do truck drivers earn the most after cost-of-living?
- Nominal leaders are AK ($64,890), NJ ($64,720), WA ($63,760) — concentrated where oilfield pay (ND, AK, TX), port logistics (CA, NJ), or strong Teamster-organized LTL exists. After BEA RPP adjustment, real-wage leaders are ND ($66,879), WY ($65,832), IN ($65,246).
- What specialty routes pay the most?
- Top premium routes (2025–2026): (1) oversize / heavy-haul — $80–120K, requires specialized rig and route planning experience; (2) hazmat tanker (chemicals, fuel) — $75–110K with hazmat + tanker endorsement; (3) refrigerated / reefer — $70–95K, demand spikes seasonally; (4) automotive haulaway (transport-trailer car carriers) — $80–110K but physically demanding; (5) port drayage (regional routes from Long Beach, NY/NJ) — $70–95K with high overtime opportunity.
- Are union driver jobs (Teamsters, ABF, UPS Freight) worth pursuing?
- For a 25-30 year career, generally yes. Union LTL drivers at top carriers earn $75K–$110K once at full scale (2-3 years), with defined-benefit pension and full medical adding another 25–35% to total compensation. The trade-off is harder entry — most union slots fill via seniority lists and casual-driver pipelines that take 1–3 years before reaching full hours. Non-union has faster startup pay (esp. at large national carriers) but lifetime earnings differential favors union by 20–35% at peak.
- How is autonomous trucking affecting pay outlook?
- As of 2026, autonomous trucking is in limited highway-corridor pilots (mostly TX I-10/I-45, AZ I-10) with safety drivers still on board. BLS still projects roughly 4% growth for heavy-truck drivers through 2032. Realistic AV impact: highway corridor automation may eventually compress long-haul OTR demand, while last-mile, regional, and complex urban delivery routes remain human-driven for the foreseeable future. The larger near-term pressure is regulatory (HOS / ELD compliance) and freight-cycle softness, not automation.
- Local / Class B (delivery, dump, vocational) pay vs Class A?
- Class B / vocational drivers (concrete mixer, dump truck, fuel oil delivery, beer/beverage) typically earn $50–75K with home-daily schedules. UPS package-car drivers (CDL not required for many trucks) and FedEx Ground / Custom Critical (varying CDL requirements) sit in similar bands but with strong overtime potential. Pay tradeoff: Class A OTR has higher gross ceiling; Class B vocational has better real-per-hour and dramatically better quality of life.
- What's the entry path for someone with no driving experience?
- Standard path: (1) age 21+ for interstate (state-only routes allow 18+ in some states under FMCSA pilot); (2) DOT physical and medical card; (3) CDL Class A school (4–8 weeks, $4–8K, often carrier-reimbursed); (4) carrier orientation + 2–6 weeks of trainer-paired driving; (5) solo OTR or regional driving at 70–85% of full scale for first 6–12 months; (6) full-scale or transition to local/dedicated by year 1–2. Total time from zero to full-scale company driver: typically 6–14 months.