Trucking Careers · Nationwide · October 23, 2026

How Much Do Truck Drivers Make? Pay by State for 2025

Pay for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers changes quite a bit from one state to the next. The most recent federal figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, which has a reference date of May 2025. This guide walks through the national numbers, lists every state, and explains how to read the data.

The national picture

According to the BLS, the median annual wage for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers was $58,640 in May 2025, or $28.19 an hour. The median is the middle point: half of drivers earned more and half earned less. The average, or mean, annual wage was $59,710.

The BLS says the lowest-paid 10 percent of these drivers earned less than $40,140 a year, and the highest-paid 10 percent earned more than $79,380. The May 2025 survey counted about 2.06 million heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver jobs.

Pay by industry

The BLS also breaks out median pay for the industries that employ the most drivers. In May 2025, those medians were:

• Truck transportation: $60,320
• Wholesale trade: $58,550
• Manufacturing: $56,570
• Construction: $56,080

How drivers are usually paid

The BLS says heavy and tractor-trailer drivers are usually paid by the number of miles they drive, plus bonuses. The per-mile rate varies by employer and can depend on the type of cargo and the driver's experience. Some long-distance drivers, especially owner-operators, are paid a share of the revenue from a load instead. The owner-operator vs company driver guide explains how those two paths differ.

Want to see what a mileage rate adds up to? The free trucking pay per mile calculator turns miles, cents per mile, stop pay and detention pay into a weekly and yearly estimate.

Truck driver pay in every state (May 2025)

Each line shows the BLS median annual wage for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, with the average annual wage in parentheses.

• Alabama: $52,120 median ($56,230 average)
• Alaska: $70,100 median ($69,520 average)
• Arizona: $58,080 median ($58,870 average)
• Arkansas: $51,550 median ($57,390 average)
• California: $60,230 median ($62,020 average)
• Colorado: $61,500 median ($63,650 average)
• Connecticut: $60,490 median ($61,980 average)
• Delaware: $57,590 median ($57,380 average)
• District of Columbia: $64,170 median ($67,710 average)
• Florida: $50,640 median ($54,850 average)
• Georgia: $57,050 median ($57,780 average)
• Hawaii: $59,820 median ($60,850 average)
• Idaho: $58,770 median ($59,160 average)
• Illinois: $60,320 median ($62,430 average)
• Indiana: $60,290 median ($60,950 average)
• Iowa: $58,070 median ($60,070 average)
• Kansas: $58,920 median ($60,480 average)
• Kentucky: $56,340 median ($59,870 average)
• Louisiana: $49,320 median ($51,930 average)
• Maine: $57,050 median ($55,980 average)
• Maryland: $59,360 median ($60,590 average)
• Massachusetts: $63,030 median ($63,570 average)
• Michigan: $57,180 median ($56,370 average)
• Minnesota: $61,990 median ($63,630 average)
• Mississippi: $51,820 median ($55,910 average)
• Missouri: $54,550 median ($56,830 average)
• Montana: $58,870 median ($59,180 average)
• Nebraska: $58,390 median ($60,070 average)
• Nevada: $62,290 median ($65,010 average)
• New Hampshire: $60,280 median ($60,600 average)
• New Jersey: $63,570 median ($66,770 average)
• New Mexico: $50,500 median ($53,100 average)
• New York: $62,050 median ($65,780 average)
• North Carolina: $51,530 median ($55,810 average)
• North Dakota: $60,910 median ($63,330 average)
• Ohio: $59,800 median ($60,660 average)
• Oklahoma: $54,410 median ($57,670 average)
• Oregon: $61,980 median ($64,080 average)
• Pennsylvania: $58,580 median ($59,640 average)
• Rhode Island: $60,190 median ($59,660 average)
• South Carolina: $51,130 median ($55,680 average)
• South Dakota: $58,690 median ($58,550 average)
• Tennessee: $58,620 median ($60,440 average)
• Texas: $56,290 median ($57,990 average)
• Utah: $60,620 median ($60,900 average)
• Vermont: $60,830 median ($61,100 average)
• Virginia: $56,860 median ($57,770 average)
• Washington: $64,760 median ($68,230 average)
• West Virginia: $49,480 median ($52,440 average)
• Wisconsin: $58,610 median ($58,890 average)
• Wyoming: $60,310 median ($63,180 average)

Highest and lowest paying states

Where the median was highest

Alaska had the highest median in the May 2025 data at $70,100. It was followed by Washington ($64,760), the District of Columbia ($64,170), New Jersey ($63,570) and Massachusetts ($63,030).

Where the median was lowest

Louisiana had the lowest median at $49,320, followed by West Virginia ($49,480), New Mexico ($50,500), Florida ($50,640) and South Carolina ($51,130).

Where the most drivers work

Texas had the most heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver jobs in the survey, about 209,680. California was close behind with about 205,090, and Florida was third with about 112,920.

How to read these numbers

A few points help put the figures in context:

• The survey covers wage and salary workers. The BLS says it does not include the self-employed, so owner-operators who run their own business are not counted.
• The figures are wages only. They do not show living costs, which also differ by state.
• A median is often a better guide than an average, because a small number of very high or very low earners can pull the average up or down.

Freight conditions can shift pay over time too. For a recent example, see Big Rig Daily's report on Knight-Swift's plans to seek double-digit rate increases, and the story on Hyundai Translead's added Illinois plant jobs for a look at hiring in the wider industry.

How to look up the latest data

The BLS posts these figures on its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data tables page. The state file lists heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers under occupation code 53-3032, and separate files cover metropolitan and rural areas. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook page for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers also has a State and Area Data tab. New data comes out once a year with a May reference date.

Thinking about getting started? The step-by-step CDL guide covers the license process from permit to road test.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do truck drivers make a year?

The BLS reports a median annual wage of $58,640 for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in May 2025, or $28.19 an hour. The average was $59,710.

Which state pays truck drivers the most?

In the May 2025 data, Alaska had the highest median wage at $70,100. Among the lower 48 states, Washington was highest at $64,760.

Which state pays truck drivers the least?

Louisiana had the lowest median in the May 2025 data, at $49,320 a year.

Do these numbers include owner-operators?

No. The BLS wage survey covers wage and salary workers and does not include the self-employed.

How often is truck driver pay data updated?

The BLS publishes these estimates once a year, with a May reference date. The May 2025 figures are the latest available.

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