Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Salary: $61,960 Median Pay (2026 stats)
TL;DR
About 2,070,480 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers nationally earn a mean of $61,960. Projections imply about 2.9% annual growth; CA accounts for about 197,850 jobs in our geographic extract.
Key Statistics
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers: what the data shows
Common questions about heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 53-3032.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 2,070,480 workers.
What does a heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Getting Information, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make?
BLS national median annual wage: $57,440 (May 2024 in our extract).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,395 |
| 25th percentile | $49,198 |
| Median (50th) | $61,407 |
| 75th percentile | $71,702 |
| 90th percentile | $82,262 |
What education do you need?
For Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, Troubleshooting, Time Management, Critical Thinking, and knowledge areas including Transportation, Public Safety and Security, Customer and Personal Service, English Language. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 2.9% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 15.1%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 32.5%.
Current U.S. headcount: 2,070,480.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do heavy and tractor-trailer truck driverss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 2,070,480 | 19.9% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 2,043,280 | 19.6% |
| Truck Transportation | 1,784,900 | 17.1% |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 1,183,530 | 11.4% |
| Wholesale Trade | 268,970 | 2.6% |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | 175,790 | 1.7% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | 180,270 | $63,980 |
| Recreational Vehicle Service Technicians | 18,710 | $50,540 |
| Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists | 287,230 | $60,640 |
| Light Truck Drivers | 994,410 | $44,140 |
| Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders | 10,920 | $58,070 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers workforce.
Employment Over Time
2,070,480 Workforce in 2023
The Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$61,960 Average Wage
In 2023, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers earned an average of $61,960.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Salary distribution for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Employment Growth Projections
2.9% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
964,368 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 15.1%
1,110,110 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 32.5%
This occupation is projected to grow at 2.9% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Wage Trends by Industry
-2.4% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 197,850 employees, $62,089 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 51,370 employees, $61,205 avg wage
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 42,710 employees, $62,975 avg wage
- Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 12,570 employees, $59,739 avg wage
- Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 12,400 employees, $70,438 avg wage
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 11,690 employees, $62,360 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 10,490 employees, $60,475 avg wage
- Stockton-Lodi MSA: 10,490 employees, $62,862 avg wage
- Fresno MSA: 8,410 employees, $54,872 avg wage
- Bakersfield-Delano MSA: 7,380 employees, $57,914 avg wage
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 4,980 employees, $71,251 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Diversity
Demographic information on Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in 2023 was 2,070,480 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in 2023 were Business Administration, Business, Social Sciences.
Common majors for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers workers.
Education level distribution for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Skills
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers need many skills, but most especially Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, Troubleshooting, Time Management.
Required skills for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers include Transportation, Public Safety and Security, Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Law and Government.
Knowledge areas required for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers include Far Vision, Spatial Orientation, Control Precision, Response Orientation, Rate Control.
Required abilities for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
Daily Activities
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers spend their time on activities such as Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Getting Information, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events.
Most important work activities for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
About
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
The average yearly wage for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers was $61,960 in 2023.
SOC Code
53-3032 - Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers reports an average salary of $61,960.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 2,070,480 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 2.9%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.