How much does a truck driver make?
Answer: A typical truck driver in the United States makes $58,640 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 2.1 million people work in this job. About the same as the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Truck driver pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,140 | $58,640 | $79,380 | about 2.1 million |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $70,100 | about 3,000 |
| Washington | $64,760 | about 41,000 |
| District of Columbia | $64,170 | about 830 |
| New Jersey | $63,570 | about 48,000 |
| Massachusetts | $63,030 | about 31,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, drivers are often paid by the mile plus bonuses, so miles driven can affect pay. The per-mile rate may vary with the employer, cargo, experience, location, and industry; owner-operators may receive a share of shipping revenue.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
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. Excludes “Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors” (53-7081).
What's a typical day like?
Drivers inspect the load and paperwork, then follow a dispatcher’s route and log their work hours. At delivery, they may help unload, check the trailer, and report problems.
How to get this job
In the United States, finish high school, attend truck-driving school, get a learner’s permit, complete required training, and pass the inspection, control, and road tests for a CDL. In-state driving may start at 18; interstate driving generally starts at 21.
High school plus some training (preparation level 2 of 5)
Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized.
Did you know?
In the United States, long-haul truckers may drive up to 11 hours after 10 hours off, but must fit it inside a 14-hour work window.
What about Japan?
Nearly the same jobThe US figure is the median and the Japan figure is the average, so it's not a perfect comparison. Prices differ too.
Similar jobs
Jobs using similar skills (O*NET)Earn more in the same field
Transportation and Material Moving jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/transportation-and-material-moving/heavy-and-tractor-trailer-tru
- www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/commercial-drivers-license/how-do-i-get-commercia
- www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/commercial-drivers-license/entry-level-driver-tra
- www.onetonline.org/link/details/53-3032.00
- www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service/summary-hours-service-regulations
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY