Jobs for Former Truck Drivers (2026)
The closest match on transferable skills is Septic Tank Servicer and Sewer Pipe Cleaner, paying a median of $49,880 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025) with +7.6% projected employment change over 2024–2034. Below are 30 destinations ranked by how much of your existing skill set they reuse and how much hiring demand they carry.
Leaving a career you trained for is not a failure of nerve, and you are not starting from zero. The work already built working independently without supervision, planning routes and schedules, and staying disciplined about safety and compliance rules. Those are O*NET-recorded skills that other occupations pay for. What follows is not encouragement; it is the data, including the destinations that pay less than you might expect.
- Destinations ranked
- 30
- Median pay
- $48,230
- Projected to grow
- 27 of 30
- Openings a year
- 1,140,400
By skill overlap and demand
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Combined, BLS EP
How this list was built
- Careers that build on professional driving’s independence, route planning and safety-compliance skills, ranked by transferable-skill overlap and projected demand.
- Skill overlap is the cosine similarity between two O*NET transferable-skill vectors: things like social perceptiveness, coordination, instructing and complex problem solving. A high overlap means the day-to-day capabilities carry across; it does not mean an employer will hire you without a conversation about it.
- Demand is BLS projected growth and annual openings for the destination occupation. A good skill match into a shrinking occupation is not a good move, so both count.
- Licences and credentials are not modelled. Some destinations below need one, and each career page states the typical entry requirement.
The top 30 careers to move into
- 94% skill overlap
1. Septic Tank Servicer and Sewer Pipe Cleaner
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $49,880
- Growth
- +7.6%
- Openings/yr
- 2,900
- Education
- High school
Reuses 94% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 2,900 openings a year.
Clean and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or drains.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 90% skill overlap
2. Recycling and Reclamation Worker
Transportation and Material Moving
- Median pay
- $40,240
- Growth
- +1.5%
- Openings/yr
- 384,300
- Education
- No formal credential
Reuses 90% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 384,300 openings a year.
Prepare and sort materials or products for recycling.
Recycling and Reclamation Worker salary & outlook → - 94% skill overlap
3. Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $59,850
- Growth
- +3.6%
- Openings/yr
- 41,900
- Education
- High school
Reuses 94% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 41,900 openings a year.
Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erec…
Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator salary & outlook → - 91% skill overlap
4. Agricultural Equipment Operator
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
- Median pay
- $41,730
- Growth
- +7.7%
- Openings/yr
- 10,500
- Education
- No formal credential
Reuses 91% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 10,500 openings a year.
Drive and control equipment to support agricultural activities such as tilling soil; planting, cultivating, and harvesting crops; feeding and herding livestock; or removing animal waste.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 95% skill overlap
5. Pile Driver Operator
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $73,300
- Growth
- +4.3%
- Openings/yr
- 300
- Education
- High school
Reuses 95% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 300 openings a year.
Operate pile drivers mounted on skids, barges, crawler treads, or locomotive cranes to drive pilings for retaining walls, bulkheads, and foundations of structures such as buildings, bridges, and piers.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 95% skill overlap
6. Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operator
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $53,340
- Growth
- +3.2%
- Openings/yr
- 4,000
- Education
- High school
Reuses 95% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 4,000 openings a year.
Operate equipment used for applying concrete, asphalt, or other materials to road beds, parking lots, or airport runways and taxiways or for tamping gravel, dirt, or other materials.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 83% skill overlap
7. Industrial Machinery Mechanic
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Median pay
- $64,520
- Growth
- +16.1%
- Openings/yr
- 45,700
- Education
- High school
Reuses 83% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 45,700 openings a year.
Repair, install, adjust, or maintain industrial production and processing machinery or refinery and pipeline distribution systems.
Industrial Machinery Mechanic salary & outlook → - 95% skill overlap
8. Crane and Tower Operator
Transportation and Material Moving
- Median pay
- $68,080
- Growth
- +3.0%
- Openings/yr
- 3,800
- Education
- High school
Reuses 95% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 3,800 openings a year.
Operate mechanical boom and cable or tower and cable equipment to lift and move materials, machines, or products in many directions.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 94% skill overlap
9. Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
Production
- Median pay
- $45,760
- Growth
- +2.0%
- Openings/yr
- 5,200
- Education
- High school
Reuses 94% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 5,200 openings a year.
Set up, operate, or tend machines, such as glass-forming machines, plodder machines, and tuber machines, to shape and form products such as glassware, food, rubber, soap, brick, tile, clay, wax, tobacco, or cosmetics.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 86% skill overlap
10. Construction Laborer
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $47,120
- Growth
- +7.3%
- Openings/yr
- 129,400
- Education
- No formal credential
Reuses 86% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 129,400 openings a year.
Perform tasks involving physical labor at construction sites.
Construction Laborer salary & outlook → - 94% skill overlap
11. Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $70,070
- Growth
- +1.6%
- Openings/yr
- 1,100
- Education
- High school
Reuses 94% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 1,100 openings a year.
Lay, repair, and maintain track for standard or narrow-gauge railroad equipment used in regular railroad service or in plant yards, quarries, sand and gravel pits, and mines.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 91% skill overlap
12. Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator
Transportation and Material Moving
- Median pay
- $46,420
- Growth
- +1.1%
- Openings/yr
- 76,400
- Education
- No formal credential
Reuses 91% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 76,400 openings a year.
Operate industrial trucks or tractors equipped to move materials around a warehouse, storage yard, factory, construction site, or similar location.
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator salary & outlook → - 92% skill overlap
13. Rock Splitter, Quarry
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $48,740
- Growth
- +4.4%
- Openings/yr
- 400
- Education
- No formal credential
Reuses 92% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 400 openings a year.
Separate blocks of rough dimension stone from quarry mass using jackhammers, wedges, or chop saws.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 94% skill overlap
14. Continuous Mining Machine Operator
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $61,810
- Growth
- +0.6%
- Openings/yr
- 1,600
- Education
- No formal credential
Reuses 94% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 1,600 openings a year.
Operate self-propelled mining machines that rip coal, metal and nonmetal ores, rock, stone, or sand from the mine face and load it onto conveyors, shuttle cars, or trucks in a continuous operation.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 86% skill overlap
15. Semiconductor Processing Technician
Production
- Median pay
- $51,430
- Growth
- +10.9%
- Openings/yr
- 3,900
- Education
- High school
Reuses 86% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 3,900 openings a year.
Perform any or all of the following functions in the manufacture of electronic semiconductors: load semiconductor material into furnace; saw formed ingots into segments; load individual segment into crystal growing ch…
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 92% skill overlap
16. Earth Driller, Except Oil and Gas
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $60,190
- Growth
- +2.9%
- Openings/yr
- 1,700
- Education
- High school
Reuses 92% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 1,700 openings a year.
Operate a variety of drills such as rotary, churn, and pneumatic to tap subsurface water and salt deposits, to remove core samples during mineral exploration or soil testing, and to facilitate the use of explosives in…
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 94% skill overlap
17. Sawing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Wood
Production
- Median pay
- $42,770
- Growth
- -0.6%
- Openings/yr
- 4,800
- Education
- High school
Reuses 94% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 4,800 openings a year.
Set up, operate, or tend wood sawing machines.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 88% skill overlap
18. Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operator and Tender
Production
- Median pay
- $41,330
- Growth
- +7.2%
- Openings/yr
- 800
- Education
- High school
Reuses 88% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 800 openings a year.
Operate or tend equipment such as cooling and freezing units, refrigerators, batch freezers, and freezing tunnels, to cool or freeze products, food, blood plasma, and chemicals.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 93% skill overlap
19. Adhesive Bonding Machine Operator and Tender
Production
- Median pay
- $46,460
- Growth
- +1.0%
- Openings/yr
- 1,300
- Education
- High school
Reuses 93% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 1,300 openings a year.
Operate or tend bonding machines that use adhesives to join items for further processing or to form a completed product.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 86% skill overlap
20. Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance
- Median pay
- $39,150
- Growth
- +3.6%
- Openings/yr
- 158,200
- Education
- No formal credential
Reuses 86% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 158,200 openings a year.
Landscape or maintain grounds of property using hand or power tools or equipment.
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker salary & outlook → - 78% skill overlap
21. Wind Turbine Service Technician
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Median pay
- $64,120
- Growth
- +49.9%
- Openings/yr
- 2,300
- Education
- Certificate
Reuses 78% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 2,300 openings a year.
Inspect, diagnose, adjust, or repair wind turbines.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 93% skill overlap
22. Logging Equipment Operator
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry
- Median pay
- $49,740
- Growth
- -1.4%
- Openings/yr
- 4,200
- Education
- High school
Reuses 93% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 4,200 openings a year.
Drive logging tractor or wheeled vehicle equipped with one or more accessories, such as bulldozer blade, frontal shear, grapple, logging arch, cable winches, hoisting rack, or crane boom, to fell tree; to skid, load,…
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 83% skill overlap
23. Light Truck Driver
Transportation and Material Moving
- Median pay
- $44,860
- Growth
- +7.3%
- Openings/yr
- 120,200
- Education
- High school
Reuses 83% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 120,200 openings a year.
Drive a light vehicle, such as a truck or van, with a capacity of less than 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), primarily to pick up merchandise or packages from a distribution center and deliver.
Light Truck Driver salary & outlook → - 89% skill overlap
24. Highway Maintenance Worker
Construction and Extraction
- Median pay
- $50,260
- Growth
- +3.0%
- Openings/yr
- 12,300
- Education
- High school
Reuses 89% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 12,300 openings a year.
Maintain highways, municipal and rural roads, airport runways, and rights-of-way.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 90% skill overlap
25. Extruding and Drawing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic
Production
- Median pay
- $47,720
- Growth
- +1.2%
- Openings/yr
- 6,500
- Education
- High school
Reuses 90% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 6,500 openings a year.
Set up, operate, or tend machines to extrude or draw thermoplastic or metal materials into tubes, rods, hoses, wire, bars, or structural shapes.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 90% skill overlap
26. Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector
Transportation and Material Moving
- Median pay
- $49,690
- Growth
- +0.9%
- Openings/yr
- 16,900
- Education
- No formal credential
Reuses 90% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 16,900 openings a year.
Collect and dump refuse or recyclable materials from containers into truck.
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector salary & outlook → - 83% skill overlap
27. Medical Equipment Preparer
Healthcare Support
- Median pay
- $47,700
- Growth
- +10.0%
- Openings/yr
- 10,900
- Education
- High school
Reuses 83% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 10,900 openings a year.
Prepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 92% skill overlap
28. Extruding and Forming Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Synthetic and Glass Fiber
Production
- Median pay
- $46,350
- Growth
- -1.1%
- Openings/yr
- 2,000
- Education
- High school
Reuses 92% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 2,000 openings a year.
Set up, operate, or tend machines that extrude and form continuous filaments from synthetic materials, such as liquid polymer, rayon, and fiberglass.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
- 86% skill overlap
29. Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment
Transportation and Material Moving
- Median pay
- $35,830
- Growth
- +3.9%
- Openings/yr
- 56,200
- Education
- No formal credential
Reuses 86% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 56,200 openings a year.
Wash or otherwise clean vehicles, machinery, and other equipment.
Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment salary & outlook → - 86% skill overlap
30. Electromechanical Equipment Assembler
Production
- Median pay
- $45,930
- Growth
- +4.1%
- Openings/yr
- 30,700
- Education
- N/A
Reuses 86% of the transferable skills O*NET records for truck drivers, and BLS projects 30,700 openings a year.
Assemble or modify electromechanical equipment or devices, such as servomechanisms, gyros, dynamometers, magnetic drums, tape drives, brakes, control linkage, actuators, and appliances.
Full page coming in the next tranche. Data shown here is from the same bank.
Jobs for Former Truck Drivers: FAQ
What jobs can former truck drivers do?
Ranked by transferable-skill overlap and projected demand, the closest match in the NueCareer bank is Septic Tank Servicer and Sewer Pipe Cleaner at $49,880 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), with +7.6% projected employment change over 2024–2034. The full list below covers 30 occupations, 27 of which are projected to grow.
How were these career changes ranked?
Each occupation in the bank carries an O*NET transferable-skill vector. We take the cosine overlap between that vector and the skill vector of the occupation you are leaving, then combine it with the destination's projected growth and annual openings. Careers that build on professional driving’s independence, route planning and safety-compliance skills, ranked by transferable-skill overlap and projected demand.
Do former truck drivers take a pay cut when they switch?
That depends entirely on where you land. Across these 30 destinations the middle occupation pays $48,230 a year, with a range of $35,830 to $73,300 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). For reference, the median across all US occupations is $50,980. Every card below shows the real median so you can compare against what you earn now.
Do you need to go back to school?
Not necessarily: 30 of the 30 destinations have a typical entry requirement below an associate's degree (BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034). Each card shows the requirement so you can filter by what you are willing to retrain for.