SOC 53-3032 · May 2025
Truck Driver Salary
Truck Drivers in the US earn a median of $58,640 a year ($28.71 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Truck Driver pay climbed from $46,850 in 2019 to $59,710 in 2025, a +27.4% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$58,640
Half of all Truck Drivers in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+27.4% since 2019 · +2.2% YoY
Hourly
$28.71
Job growth 2025-35
+3.8%
US workers
2,062,040
BLS series
Annual median wage for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Truck Drivers is $40,140 – $79,380.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$40,140
25th
$47,960
Median
$58,640
75th
$69,120
90th
$79,380
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Truck Drivers. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $40,140 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $47,960 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $58,640 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $69,120 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $79,380 |
Geography
Truck Driver pay by state
Truck Drivers earn the most in Alaska ($70,100, +20% against the national median) and the least in Louisiana ($49,320). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 51 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$58,640
Highest-paying states for truck drivers
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $70,100 | +20% | 3,420 |
| Washington | $64,760 | +10% | 40,530 |
| D.C. | $64,170 | +9% | 830 |
| New Jersey | $63,570 | +8% | 47,980 |
| Massachusetts | $63,030 | +7% | 30,890 |
| Nevada | $62,290 | +6% | 15,010 |
| New York | $62,050 | +6% | 63,700 |
| Minnesota | $61,990 | +6% | 38,770 |
| Oregon | $61,980 | +6% | 23,970 |
| Colorado | $61,500 | +5% | 25,350 |
All 51 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $70,100 | 3,420 |
| Washington | $64,760 | 40,530 |
| D.C. | $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 |
| Maine | $57,050 | 9,980 |
| Georgia | $57,050 | 74,840 |
| 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 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Truck Drivers
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers transport goods between distribution centers, warehouses, and retail locations across long routes. The role requires a Commercial Driver License (CDL) Class A and adherence to federal Hours-of-Service rules. Pay structures include per-mile, per-load, and salary models, with substantial variation between regional, OTR (over-the-road), and specialized hauling. Owner-operators are excluded from OEWS figures.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $40,140 – $79,380. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are Alaska, Washington and D.C.. Pay in Alaska runs 1.4 times the level in Louisiana, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as postsecondary nondegree award, and projects about 214,500 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to grow 3.8% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Truck Driver salary in the US?
How much does a Truck Driver make an hour?
How much do Truck Drivers make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Truck Drivers the most?
Is the average Truck Driver salary higher than the median?
Is Truck Driver a growing career?
Open positions
Open Truck Driver roles hiring now
Browse current Truck Driver listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 53-3032. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.