Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 53-3032 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$58,635
$28.19/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers is $58,635 per year ($28.19/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $47,965 and $69,118 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $79,394 per year. There are approximately 2,062,040 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+4.0%
Faster than average
Annual openings
238K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
2.2M
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
4% from new growth96% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Postsecondary nondegree award
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Truck Transportation
NAICS 484000
901K
$60,320
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only)
NAICS 4240A1
102K
$61,320
Couriers and Express Delivery Services
NAICS 492100
100K
$60,040
Warehousing and Storage
NAICS 493100
93K
$60,390
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing
NAICS 327000
75K
$57,390
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$19.30
$40,144
P25
$23.06
$47,965
P50MEDIAN
$28.19
$58,635
P75
$33.23
$69,118
P90
$38.17
$79,394
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · other sector
Active
Openings Rate
3.4%
Quits Rate
2.0%
The labor market rebounded in March: hires jumped to 5.6M (+655K) and separations rose to 5.4M (+356K), both more than offsetting February's drop. Job openings held at 6.9M. Quits ticked to 2.0%.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers salary?
The national median salary for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers is $58,635 per year ($28.19/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $47,965 and $69,118 annually.
How much do top-earning heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make?
The 90th percentile salary for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers is $79,394 per year ($38.17/hr). The 75th percentile is $69,118 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
Entry-level Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (10th percentile) earn approximately $40,144 per year ($19.30/hr). The 25th percentile is $47,965 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
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