State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Truck Driver Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers earn a median of $58,640 per year ($28.19/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 4.0% through 2034, with about 237,600 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award.
SOC 53-3032Transportation and Material MovingLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $58,640
- Projected growth
- +4.0%
- Openings a year
- 237,600
- Typical education
- Certificate
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: CDL Driver (Commercial Driver's License Driver), Driver, Line Haul Driver, Log Truck Driver, Over the Road Driver (OTR Driver), Production Truck Driver.
How much do Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers make?
10th percentile$40,140
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$47,960
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$58,640
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$69,120
Upper quartile
90th percentile$79,380
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $58,640 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $28.19/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $59,710 |
| People employed | 2,062,040 |
Versus all US occupations
At $58,640, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers earn 15% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $7,660 a year.
Versus transportation and material moving occupations
The median is typical for the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $58,405.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $79,380 or more while the bottom 10% earn $40,140, a gap of 2.0×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 40% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Alaska pays the most at $70,100, and still leads at $68,484 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $70,100 | $68,484 | 3,420 |
| Washington | $64,760 | $60,516 | 40,530 |
| District of Columbia | $64,170 | $58,389 | 830 |
| New Jersey | $63,570 | $58,426 | 47,980 |
| Massachusetts | $63,030 | $59,599 | 30,890 |
| Nevada | $62,290 | $62,303 | 15,010 |
| New York | $62,050 | $57,496 | 63,700 |
| Minnesota | $61,990 | $62,857 | 38,770 |
| Oregon | $61,980 | $59,965 | 23,970 |
| Colorado | $61,500 | $59,679 | 25,350 |
Is Truck Driver a growing career?
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers4.0%
All US occupations3.1%
+4.0% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers to change 4.0% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 89,300 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 237,600 openings are projected each year, 10.6% of the 2,235,100 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Trucks transport most of the freight in the United States. Truck drivers will be needed as households and businesses increase their spending and their demand for goods.
How to become a Truck Driver
Driving a heavy or tractor-trailer truck requires a Commercial Driver's License. States issue the CDL, but they issue it to federal minimum standards set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration: you need a commercial learner's permit, federally mandated Entry-Level Driver Training from a provider on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry, a DOT medical examiner's certificate, and passing knowledge and skills tests.
The credential path, step by step
- Check you meet the federal driver qualification rules
For driving in interstate commerce, federal rules require you to be at least 21, to read and speak English sufficiently for the job, to be physically qualified under the FMCSA medical standards, and to hold a valid commercial license from only one state. Most companies also require a high school diploma or equivalent.
- Get the DOT medical certificate
Most commercial driving requires a DOT medical card obtained through a DOT physical. You must bring proof of medical qualification when you apply for the learner's permit, and later provide the certificate to your state licensing agency.
- Get a Commercial Learner's PermitMust be held at least 14 days before the skills test
Pass the knowledge tests for the driving you intend to do and clear a 10-year driving-record check. The CLP only authorizes you to practice on public roads with a qualified CDL holder beside you.
- Complete Entry-Level Driver TrainingOften 3-6 months at a truck-driving school or community college program
If you are getting a Class A or Class B CDL for the first time, upgrading a Class B to a Class A, or getting a first school bus (S), passenger (P) or hazardous materials (H) endorsement, you must complete ELDT with a provider on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry before taking the skills test or the hazmat knowledge test.
- Pass the skills test and get the CDL
Pass the vehicle inspection, basic controls and road tests in a representative vehicle for the group you want. A Class A holder may operate Group B and Group C vehicles, and a Class B holder may operate Group C vehicles, provided they hold the required endorsements.
- Add endorsements and finish company training
Take the endorsement tests for the work you want — hazmat (H), tank (N), the combined X, passenger (P), school bus (S) or double/triple trailers (T). After being hired, expect several weeks driving with an experienced mentor driver on the specific truck and freight you will handle.
Exams you have to pass
Written tests for the type of driving you want to do, passed in order to be issued a commercial learner's permit. Your driving record is checked for the previous 10 years across all 50 states and DC, and you must show proof that you are medically qualified.
Administered by State driver licensing agency.
Three parts — the Vehicle Inspection Test, the Basic Controls Test and the Road Test — taken in a vehicle representative of the group you are licensing for. You must have held the commercial learner's permit for 14 days and completed any applicable Entry-Level Driver Training before you are eligible to take it.
Administered by State driver licensing agency.
Specialized tests required for each endorsement, using federally standardized codes: T for double/triple trailers (knowledge test), P for passenger (knowledge and skills), N for tank vehicle (knowledge), H for hazardous materials (knowledge test plus a background check), X for the combined tank and hazardous materials endorsements, and S for school bus (knowledge and skills). A first-time S, P or H endorsement also triggers the ELDT requirement.
Administered by State driver licensing agency.
- Program accreditation
TPR · FMCSA Training Provider Registry
Entry-Level Driver Training must be completed with a training provider listed on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry, which retains the record that you completed the required training. Drivers applying for a Class A or Class B CDL for the first time who were issued a commercial learner's permit on or after February 7, 2022 must complete ELDT with a registered provider before taking the skills test.
- How long the training takes
3-6 months
Many prospective drivers attend a private truck-driving school or a community college program lasting between 3 and 6 months, then receive several weeks of on-the-job training with a mentor driver after being hired.
- Continuing education
Required to stay credentialed
Federal rules require CDL drivers to keep a valid medical examiner's certificate and to pass a physical exam every two years; you must self-certify your category of operation to your state driver licensing agency and give it a copy of each new certificate before the old one expires, or your commercial driving privileges are downgraded. Drivers are also subject to random drug and alcohol testing and must maintain a clean driving record.
Licensing and state variation
Licensed state by state
CDLs are issued by states, but to federal minimum standards, so the substance is national. Federal rules define the vehicle groups (Group A combination vehicles with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more towing over 10,000 pounds; Group B heavy straight vehicles of 26,001 pounds or more; Group C smaller vehicles carrying 16 or more passengers including the driver or hazardous materials), the endorsement codes, the Entry-Level Driver Training requirement and the driver qualification rules. What varies is process — each state has its own CDL manual, fees, documentation and testing arrangements, and some states impose requirements above the federal training minimums. States may also refuse to issue a CDL to someone whose CDL was suspended by another state.
Who governs the credential
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) — Sets the federal standards for commercial driver licensing, driver qualification and entry-level driver training. FMCSA does not issue CDLs — state governments do — but states must license to the federal minimums.
- State driver licensing agencies (SDLA) — Issue the commercial learner's permit and the CDL, administer the knowledge and skills tests, and record your medical certification status. Each state has its own process and its own CDL manual, and it is illegal to hold a license from more than one state.
Credential detail for truck drivers is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers, How to Become One · checked August 23, 2026
- FMCSA — Commercial Driver's License Program · checked August 23, 2026
- FMCSA — How Do I Get a Commercial Driver's License? · checked August 23, 2026
- FMCSA — Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) and the Training Provider Registry · checked August 23, 2026
- FMCSA — Commercial Driver's License: Medical (medical examiner's certificate and self-certification) · checked August 23, 2026
- eCFR, 49 CFR 383.91 — Commercial motor vehicle groups (Groups A, B and C) · checked August 23, 2026
- eCFR, 49 CFR 383.93 — Endorsements and endorsement testing requirements · checked August 23, 2026
- eCFR, 49 CFR 383.153 — Standardized endorsement codes (T, P, N, H, X, S) · checked August 23, 2026
- eCFR, 49 CFR 391.11 — General qualifications of drivers (minimum age 21) · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers usually have a high school diploma and attend a professional truck driving school. They must have a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
| Typical entry-level education | Postsecondary nondegree award |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Little or no preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Short-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers.
- High School Diploma54.3%
- Less than a High School Diploma25.9%
- Post-Secondary Certificate18.5%
- Some College Courses1.2%
What does a Truck Driver do?
Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). May be required to unload truck. Requires commercial drivers' license. Includes tow truck drivers.
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers transport goods from one location to another. Most tractor-trailer drivers are long-haul drivers and operate trucks with a total weight exceeding 26,000 pounds for the vehicle, passengers, and cargo. These drivers deliver goods over intercity routes that sometimes span several states.
Day-to-day tasks
- Report vehicle defects, accidents, traffic violations, or damage to the vehicles.
- Check vehicles to ensure that mechanical, safety, and emergency equipment is in good working order.
- Operate equipment, such as truck cab computers, CB radios, phones, or global positioning systems (GPS) equipment to exchange necessary information with bases, supervisors, or other drivers.
- Maneuver trucks into loading or unloading positions, following signals from loading crew and checking that vehicle and loading equipment are properly positioned.
- Perform basic vehicle maintenance tasks, such as adding oil, fuel, or radiator fluid, performing minor repairs, or washing trucks.
- Maintain logs of working hours or of vehicle service or repair status, following applicable state and federal regulations.
- Collect delivery instructions from appropriate sources, verifying instructions and routes.
- Drive trucks with capacities greater than 13 tons, including tractor-trailer combinations, to transport and deliver products, livestock, or other materials.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most heavy tractor-trailer drivers work full time. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulates the hours that a long-haul truck driver may work. Drivers may not work more than 14 hours straight, comprising up to 11 hours driving and the remaining time doing other work, such as unloading cargo. Between working periods, drivers must have at least 10 hours off duty. Drivers also are limited to driving no more than 60 hours within 7 days or 70 hours within 8 days; then drivers must take 34 hours off before starting another 7- or 8-day run. Drivers must record their hours in a logbook. Truck drivers often work nights, weekends, and holidays.
Where the work happens
- Rarely works in a climate-controlled indoor space
- Outdoors in all weather at least weekly
Physical demands
- Seated for more than half the working day
Pressure and stakes
- Meeting strict deadlines at least weekly
- Mistakes carry very serious consequences
Autonomy
- A lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey, showing only the signals people in the job report decisively one way or the other.
Where heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers work
| Truck transportation | 40% |
|---|---|
| Wholesale trade | 12% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Self-employed workers | 7% |
| Construction | 6% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Monitoring3.1/5
- Reading Comprehension3.0/5
- Speaking3.0/5
- Critical Thinking3.0/5
- Active Listening2.9/5
- Writing2.8/5
- Active Learning2.5/5
- Mathematics2.0/5
Transferable skills
- Operations Monitoring3.8/5
- Operation and Control3.8/5
- Troubleshooting3.0/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Equipment Maintenance2.9/5
- Repairing2.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.8/5
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Desktop communications software
- Inventory management software
- Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software
- Route navigation software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Truck Driver?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary7.0
Investigative1.9
Artistic1.0
Social1.3
Enterprising1.3
Conventionalprimary4.1
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Truck Driver: frequently asked questions
How much do Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers make?
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers earn a median of $58,640 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 15% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $28.19/hr. The middle half earn between $47,960 and $69,120. The top 10% earn $79,380 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Truck Driver?
Not a degree, but you do need credentialed training: BLS lists a postsecondary non-degree award (a certificate or license program) as the typical entry route for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 54.3% hold high school diploma.
Is Truck Driver a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 4.0% over 2024–2034, about the same as the 3.1% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 237,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Truck Driver do?
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers transport goods from one location to another. A core O*NET task: report vehicle defects, accidents, traffic violations, or damage to the vehicles. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Enterprise resource planning ERP software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers the most?
The highest state medians for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers are Alaska ($70,100), Washington ($64,760), District of Columbia ($64,170) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Truck Driver?
O*NET scores Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.
How long does it take to become a Truck Driver?
3-6 months. Many prospective drivers attend a private truck-driving school or a community college program lasting between 3 and 6 months, then receive several weeks of on-the-job training with a mentor driver after being hired.
Do you need a license to work as a Truck Driver?
Yes, and it is issued by the state you work in, not nationally. CDLs are issued by states, but to federal minimum standards, so the substance is national. Federal rules define the vehicle groups (Group A combination vehicles with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more towing over 10,000 pounds; Group B heavy straight vehicles of 26,001 pounds or more; Group C smaller vehicles carrying 16 or more passengers including the driver or hazardous materials), the endorsement codes, the Entry-Level Driver Training requirement and the driver qualification rules. What varies is process — each state has its own CDL manual, fees, documentation and testing arrangements, and some states impose requirements above the federal training minimums. States may also refuse to issue a CDL to someone whose CDL was suspended by another state.
What exams do you have to pass to become a Truck Driver?
The CDL knowledge tests, the CDL skills test, the CDL endorsement tests. Written tests for the type of driving you want to do, passed in order to be issued a commercial learner's permit. Your driving record is checked for the previous 10 years across all 50 states and DC, and you must show proof that you are medically qualified.