Truck driver earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level truck driver earnings begin at:

$34.72 per hour

$72,230 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level truck driver earnings begin at:

$28.23 per hour

$58,720 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level truck driver earnings begin at:

$23.79 per hour

$49,480 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level truck driver earnings begin at:

$20.83 per hour

$43,330 per year

10th percentile

Starting level truck driver earnings begin at:

$17.47 per hour

$36,350 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Truck driver salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Alaska $70,100
Washington $64,760
District of Columbia $64,170
New Jersey $63,570
Massachusetts $63,030
Nevada $62,290
New York $62,050
Minnesota $61,990
Oregon $61,980
Colorado $61,500
North Dakota $60,910
Vermont $60,830
Utah $60,620
Connecticut $60,490
Illinois $60,320
Wyoming $60,310
Indiana $60,290
New Hampshire $60,280
California $60,230
Rhode Island $60,190
Hawaii $59,820
Ohio $59,800
Maryland $59,360
Kansas $58,920
Montana $58,870
Idaho $58,770
South Dakota $58,690
Tennessee $58,620
Wisconsin $58,610
Pennsylvania $58,580
Nebraska $58,390
Arizona $58,080
Iowa $58,070
Delaware $57,590
Michigan $57,180
Georgia $57,050
Maine $57,050
Virginia $56,860
Kentucky $56,340
Texas $56,290
Missouri $54,550
Oklahoma $54,410
Alabama $52,120
Mississippi $51,820
Arkansas $51,550
North Carolina $51,530
South Carolina $51,130
Florida $50,640
New Mexico $50,500
West Virginia $49,480
Louisiana $49,320
Virgin Islands, U.S. $35,580
Guam $28,940
Puerto Rico $18,590

How much does a Truck Driver earn?

Experience is where the money is in the trucking industry. Just like with any other job, entry level positions do pay considerably less. The best bet is going through a truck driving school that offers employment placement assistance. Inexperienced truck drivers are a high risk to companies, however, there are several reputable companies that do pay very well for first year drivers.

Unlike other career salaries, truck driving salaries tend to not follow suit when it comes to the cost of living in an area. The salary is more about the job being performed and the company you are with. Jobs that no one seems to want do pay more; a lot of those jobs are available in the state of New York according to CNN.

West Virginia and Mississippi are also high paying states for truck drivers according to PayScale.com. These positions require precision driving and dedication. In West Virginia, local or state-wide drivers earn top wages simply due to the terrain within the state.

How do truck driver salaries compare to similar careers?

Truck drivers earn about the same as related careers in West Virginia. On average, they make less than freight and cargo inspectors but more than highway maintenance workers.

Career Median Salary
Freight and cargo inspector salary $59K
Locomotive engineer salary $64K
Ship loader salary $55K
Cargo and freight agent salary $49K
Aircraft mechanic salary $45K
Truck driver salary $49K
Traffic technician salary $53K
Sailor salary $47K
Delivery service driver salary $39K
Highway maintenance worker salary $45K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)