Truck Driver · Pennsylvania · SOC 53-3032
Pennsylvania Truck Driver Salary — 2026 BLS + BEA RPP
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2024 reference period · BEA Regional Price Parity 2023 vintage · Last synced 2026-05-05.
TL;DR
- BLS reports Pennsylvania Truck Driver median pay at $58,540. Adjusted for state cost of living, real purchasing power equals $60,103.
- Cost of living tracks roughly with the national index, so nominal and real wages stay close.
- BLS percentile breakdown: P10 $43,780 · P25 $49,390 · P75 $63,340 · P90 $76,660.
- State ranks #22 nationally on nominal wage, #18 on real (RPP-adjusted) wage.
Wage breakdown — Pennsylvania
| Percentile | Nominal (BLS) | Real (BEA RPP-adjusted) |
|---|---|---|
| P10 (entry tier) | $43,780 | $44,949 |
| P25 (lower quartile) | $49,390 | $50,708 |
| P50 (median) | $58,540 | $60,103 |
| P75 (upper quartile) | $63,340 | $65,031 |
| P90 (top tier) | $76,660 | $78,706 |
| Mean | $58,620 | $60,185 |
| Employment | 90,160 Truck Drivers in Pennsylvania | |
Cost of living — BEA Regional Price Parity
| Component | Pennsylvania index (US = 100) |
|---|---|
| All-items RPP | 97.4 |
| Goods | 98.4 |
| Services | 118.3 |
| Rents | 85.8 |
Pennsylvania's overall RPP (97.4) is close to the national 100 baseline; nominal and real wage move roughly together.
After-tax take-home — Pennsylvania (2024 BLS · 2024 tax year, single filer)
Layer-by-layer take-home math at the BLS median
| Layer | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gross BLS P50 (Truck Driver) | $58,540 | nominal median |
| Federal income tax | −$4,887 | 8.3% effective; std deduction $15,750 applied |
| State income tax | −$1,797 | 3.07% flat (+ local 0.5-3.9% Philly/Pgh) |
| FICA (SS 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%) | −$4,478 | SS capped at $183,600 wage base |
| Take-home (after-tax) | $47,378 | 80.9% of gross |
| Real take-home (RPP-adjusted) | $48,642 | ÷ (97.4 / 100) BEA cost-of-living |
What the Pennsylvania state-tax burden means for Truck Driver take-home
Mid-band state-tax burden at 3.1% effective. Combined with federal and FICA, take-home is $47,378 (80.9% of gross). After the 97.4 RPP, real take-home is $48,642. Local-tax overlay: Philadelphia residents pay 3.75% city wage tax; Pittsburgh ~3% combined city + school. Subtract roughly $2,049/year if PHL-based.
Computed from 2026 IRS federal brackets (Rev. Proc. 2025-32), 2026 state DOR brackets, and 2026 FICA rates. Single filer, standard deduction, no other adjustments. See methodology · tax for limitations (married filers, ITM/SALT itemizers, retirement deferrals, HSA, dependent credits, etc.).
National context
Across the United States, BLS reports a national median of $57,440 for Truck Drivers with mean pay of $58,400 and total employment of 2,070,480. Pennsylvania sits at #22 on nominal pay and #18 on real (cost-adjusted) pay among the 51 states and DC. After cost adjustment, Pennsylvania climbs 4 positions — the cost of living is favorable relative to the wage.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Truck Driver make in Pennsylvania?
- BLS reports a median annual wage of $58,540 for Truck Drivers in Pennsylvania as of the latest OES release. That is the 50th-percentile figure — half earn more, half earn less. The 25th-percentile is $49,390 and the 75th-percentile is $63,340.
- What does the top of the Truck Driver pay scale look like in Pennsylvania?
- The 90th percentile lands at $76,660. That tier typically reflects senior roles, specialty certifications, high-cost-of-living metros within the state, or union-negotiated rate cards. Below that, the P75 quartile is $63,340.
- How many Truck Drivers does Pennsylvania employ?
- BLS OES counts 90,160 Truck Drivers employed in Pennsylvania in the most recent release. Employment density relative to population determines whether wage tiers reflect a robust competitive market or a thinner labor pool.
- Why is the BEA RPP for Pennsylvania different from a single CPI number?
- BEA splits regional price parity into three components — goods, services, and rents — reweighted to the BEA's national consumption basket. Pennsylvania's overall index of 97.4 reflects rents 85.8, services 118.3, and goods 98.4.
- What are the limits of these Truck Driver salary numbers?
- BLS OES is an employer survey of W-2 wages — it excludes contractor pay, bonuses outside the base wage definition, equity compensation, and tip income. Self-employed practitioners and gig workers are not represented. For occupations with significant non-W-2 income, the BLS figure is a floor, not a complete picture.
- Should I negotiate based on the BLS median for Pennsylvania?
- The BLS median is a calibration anchor, not a ceiling. Use it to validate that an offer is in-band — anything well below the P25 in this state is a flag, anything above the P75 typically requires demonstrable specialty depth, niche credentials, or a high-COL metro within Pennsylvania.
- OTR vs regional vs local truck driver pay in Pennsylvania?
- BLS aggregates Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (53-3032) into one figure. In Pennsylvania, OTR (over-the-road, multi-week trips) typically pays the highest gross — $65-90K range with experience — but on a real per-hour basis once away-from-home time is counted, regional (home weekly) and local/dedicated (home daily) routes often net comparable take-home. Local LTL and dedicated-fleet routes in Pennsylvania frequently pay above the BLS median when union-represented (Teamsters).
Sources & methodology
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES), SOC 53-3032, 2024 reference period.
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities, 2023 vintage (all-items, goods, services, rents).
- Real-wage figures = nominal BLS wage ÷ (state RPP / 100).
- See the methodology page for full computation details and limitations.
Cross-comparison: see how Pennsylvania Truck Driver pay ranks against the other 254 state × occupation pages on the Real Wage Atlas → — four-way ranking by real wage, after-tax take-home, state-tax savings, and cost-of-living arbitrage.