Salaries

CDL Truck Driver Salary.

Across 81 U.S. cities.

$57,000

estimated national base salary

$47,000 to $66,000. Last updated September 2026.

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Government benchmark for this occupation

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $58,640 for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (SOC 53-3032) across the United States, based on 2,062,040 employed workers (May 2025 release).

10th percentile

$40,140

25th percentile

$47,960

Median

$58,640

75th percentile

$69,120

90th percentile

$79,380

Workers surveyed

2,062,040

What BLS published in each release

May 2024 release

$57,440

May 2025 release

$58,640

These are two separate published estimates, not a time series. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not encourage the use of OEWS data for time-series analysis. Differences between releases reflect changes in occupational classification, survey methodology, and the three-year pooled sample as well as any change in pay, so the two figures should not be read as a rate of wage growth.

BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (SOC 53-3032) rather than CDL Truck Driver specifically. The national range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such.

View the BLS source for SOC 53-3032

Highest Paying

$78,000

San Jose, CA

Best Purchasing Power

$60,000

Raleigh, NC

Lowest Paying

$44,000

Charleston, WV

The salary figures on this page are computed estimates, not observed wages. Each one is a national role baseline scaled by a Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity cost-of-living multiplier (2025 index) and rounded to the nearest $1,000. No published wage percentile is consulted and no wage survey response enters the calculation, so an Orbyt estimate must not be cited as a Bureau of Labor Statistics figure or as measured pay. The published wage data Orbyt holds is Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, and Department of Labor H-1B Labor Condition Application filings, which record a filed minimum visa base wage rather than market pay. Where BLS publishes a wage for the occupation a role maps to, it is shown on that role's page as a separate benchmark, labelled with its occupation code, metro area and the number of employed workers it covers. Last updated September 2026. This role maps to BLS occupation code 53-3032. Full methodology.

Orbyt estimates the average CDL Truck Driver salary in the United States at $57,000 in 2026, within a range of $47,000 to $66,000. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page. San Jose is the highest of the 81 cities at $78,000, while Raleigh offers the best purchasing power after cost-of-living adjustments. Hauling specialization creates the largest pay differences.

CDL Truck Driver salary by city.

Salary comparison across 81 cities
CityMedianRangeCOLAdjustedRank
San Jose, CA$78,000$64,000 to $90,0001.38x$57,000#3408 of 3445
San Francisco, CA$75,000$62,000 to $87,0001.35x$56,000#3413 of 3445
New York, NY$73,000$60,000 to $84,0001.28x$57,000#3407 of 3445
Honolulu, HI$73,000$60,000 to $85,0001.30x$56,000#3412 of 3445
Boston, MA$72,000$59,000 to $83,0001.22x$59,000#3400 of 3445
Arlington, VA$72,000$60,000 to $84,0001.22x$59,000#3403 of 3445
Washington DC, DC$71,000$59,000 to $83,0001.25x$57,000#3410 of 3445
Seattle, WA$70,000$58,000 to $81,0001.24x$56,000#3410 of 3445
San Diego, CA$69,000$57,000 to $80,0001.17x$59,000#3397 of 3445
Los Angeles, CA$68,000$56,000 to $79,0001.18x$58,000#3410 of 3445
Newark, NJ$67,000$55,000 to $77,0001.18x$57,000#3412 of 3445
Jersey City, NJ$66,000$54,000 to $76,0001.20x$55,000#3412 of 3445
Anchorage, AK$65,000$54,000 to $75,0001.13x$58,000#3412 of 3445
Princeton, NJ$65,000$54,000 to $75,0001.15x$57,000#3414 of 3445
Denver, CO$64,000$53,000 to $74,0001.08x$59,000#3399 of 3445
Portland, OR$64,000$53,000 to $74,0001.10x$58,000#3403 of 3445
Baltimore, MD$64,000$53,000 to $74,0001.08x$59,000#3397 of 3445
Boulder, CO$64,000$53,000 to $74,0001.15x$56,000#3414 of 3445
Hartford, CT$63,000$52,000 to $73,0001.08x$58,000#3406 of 3445
Miami, FL$62,000$51,000 to $72,0001.12x$55,000#3412 of 3445
Philadelphia, PA$62,000$51,000 to $72,0001.09x$57,000#3410 of 3445
Chicago, IL$60,000$50,000 to $70,0001.07x$56,000#3412 of 3445
Austin, TX$60,000$49,000 to $69,0001.03x$58,000#3404 of 3445
Manchester, NH$60,000$49,000 to $69,0001.06x$57,000#3410 of 3445
Sacramento, CA$60,000$50,000 to $70,0001.10x$55,000#3414 of 3445
Dallas, TX$59,000$49,000 to $69,0001.01x$58,000#3402 of 3445
Minneapolis, MN$59,000$49,000 to $69,0001.05x$56,000#3412 of 3445
Raleigh, NC$59,000$48,000 to $68,0000.99x$60,000#3400 of 3445
Providence, RI$59,000$48,000 to $68,0001.04x$57,000#3411 of 3445
Atlanta, GA$58,000$47,000 to $67,0001.02x$57,000#3411 of 3445
Burlington, VT$58,000$48,000 to $67,0001.06x$55,000#3415 of 3445
Ann Arbor, MI$58,000$48,000 to $67,0001.02x$57,000#3411 of 3445
Portland, ME$57,000$47,000 to $67,0001.05x$54,000#3415 of 3445
Phoenix, AZ$56,000$46,000 to $65,0000.96x$58,000#3402 of 3445
Tampa, FL$56,000$46,000 to $65,0000.96x$58,000#3404 of 3445
Wilmington, DE$56,000$47,000 to $65,0001.02x$55,000#3413 of 3445
Richmond, VA$56,000$46,000 to $65,0001.01x$55,000#3414 of 3445
Orlando, FL$56,000$46,000 to $65,0000.95x$59,000#3398 of 3445
Madison, WI$56,000$46,000 to $65,0000.95x$59,000#3400 of 3445
Houston, TX$55,000$45,000 to $63,0000.97x$57,000#3411 of 3445
Nashville, TN$55,000$46,000 to $64,0001.00x$55,000#3414 of 3445
Charlotte, NC$55,000$45,000 to $63,0000.97x$57,000#3408 of 3445
Salt Lake City, UT$55,000$45,000 to $63,0000.98x$56,000#3413 of 3445
Columbus, OH$55,000$45,000 to $64,0000.93x$59,000#3402 of 3445
Boise, ID$55,000$46,000 to $64,0000.95x$58,000#3408 of 3445
Charleston, SC$55,000$46,000 to $64,0000.98x$56,000#3411 of 3445
Albany, NY$55,000$45,000 to $63,0000.96x$57,000#3412 of 3445
North Charleston, SC$55,000$46,000 to $64,0000.94x$59,000#3402 of 3445
Las Vegas, NV$54,000$44,000 to $62,0000.96x$56,000#3413 of 3445
Virginia Beach, VA$54,000$44,000 to $62,0000.98x$55,000#3414 of 3445
Indianapolis, IN$53,000$44,000 to $62,0000.91x$58,000#3404 of 3445
Reno, NV$53,000$44,000 to $61,0000.96x$55,000#3413 of 3445
Kansas City, MO$52,000$43,000 to $60,0000.93x$56,000#3410 of 3445
New Orleans, LA$52,000$43,000 to $61,0000.92x$57,000#3410 of 3445
Milwaukee, WI$52,000$43,000 to $61,0000.91x$57,000#3410 of 3445
San Antonio, TX$52,000$43,000 to $60,0000.91x$57,000#3406 of 3445
Columbia, SC$52,000$43,000 to $61,0000.90x$58,000#3405 of 3445
Detroit, MI$51,000$42,000 to $59,0000.90x$57,000#3410 of 3445
Pittsburgh, PA$51,000$42,000 to $60,0000.92x$55,000#3414 of 3445
St. Louis, MO$51,000$42,000 to $59,0000.90x$57,000#3408 of 3445
Des Moines, IA$51,000$42,000 to $59,0000.86x$59,000#3397 of 3445
Columbus, OH$51,000$42,000 to $60,0000.93x$55,000#3412 of 3445
Spokane, WA$51,000$42,000 to $60,0000.92x$55,000#3414 of 3445
Omaha, NE$50,000$41,000 to $57,0000.88x$57,000#3406 of 3445
Sioux Falls, SD$50,000$41,000 to $58,0000.85x$59,000#3399 of 3445
Cincinnati, OH$50,000$41,000 to $58,0000.90x$56,000#3412 of 3445
Baton Rouge, LA$50,000$41,000 to $58,0000.88x$57,000#3410 of 3445
Des Moines, IA$50,000$41,000 to $57,0000.86x$58,000#3401 of 3445
Albuquerque, NM$49,000$41,000 to $57,0000.88x$56,000#3413 of 3445
Lexington, KY$49,000$40,000 to $56,0000.86x$57,000#3406 of 3445
Knoxville, TN$49,000$41,000 to $57,0000.89x$55,000#3414 of 3445
Birmingham, AL$48,000$40,000 to $56,0000.84x$57,000#3407 of 3445
Louisville, KY$48,000$40,000 to $56,0000.88x$55,000#3413 of 3445
Fargo, ND$48,000$40,000 to $56,0000.85x$56,000#3408 of 3445
Cheyenne, WY$48,000$40,000 to $56,0000.87x$55,000#3414 of 3445
Little Rock, AR$47,000$39,000 to $54,0000.82x$57,000#3409 of 3445
Oklahoma City, OK$47,000$39,000 to $55,0000.84x$56,000#3412 of 3445
Tulsa, OK$46,000$38,000 to $54,0000.83x$55,000#3414 of 3445
Wichita, KS$45,000$37,000 to $52,0000.82x$55,000#3413 of 3445
Jackson, MS$45,000$38,000 to $53,0000.79x$57,000#3408 of 3445
Charleston, WV$44,000$36,000 to $50,0000.78x$56,000#3412 of 3445

Skills that increase CDL Truck Driver pay.

The premiums below are Orbyt's modelled scenarios for CDL Truck Drivers, not effects measured from job postings: each is a fixed percentage applied to the estimated base. At the top premium that works out to $7,980 a year.

LLM Fine-Tuning+14%

≈ +$7,980 per year

Reinforcement Learning+13%

≈ +$7,410 per year

CUDA+12%

≈ +$6,840 per year

RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)+11%

≈ +$6,270 per year

Kubernetes+11%

≈ +$6,270 per year

Transformers+10%

≈ +$5,700 per year

Rust+10%

≈ +$5,700 per year

PyTorch+9%

≈ +$5,130 per year

What you should know.

Hauling specialization creates the largest pay differences. Tanker, hazmat, and oversized load endorsements add 15 to 25% over dry van rates. Owner-operators can earn significantly more but assume fuel, maintenance, and insurance costs. Long-haul OTR drivers earn more per mile than regional or local drivers, but local drivers often earn competitive annual totals with better home time.

New CDL holders start at $40,000 to $48,000 with a training carrier. Experienced drivers earn $46,000 to $68,000 after two to three years. Specialized haulers earn $65,000 to $85,000, while owner-operators gross $150,000 to $250,000 with net income of $70,000 to $120,000 after expenses.

Per diem payments of $50 to $70 daily for OTR drivers reduce taxable income significantly. Sign-on bonuses of $5,000 to $15,000 are common during driver shortages. Many carriers provide health insurance, 401k matching, and paid home time after specified weeks on the road.

Total compensation breakdown.

Base Salary
$57,000
Equity / Year
$7,000
Annual Bonus
5%
$3,000
Total Comp
$67,000

Salary by company size

Startup
< 50 employees
$48,000
Growth
50-500 employees
$53,000
Scale-up
500-5K employees
$57,000
Public
5K+ employees
$67,000

Remote salary adjustment

Remote CDL Truck Drivers typically earn $51,000 (10% less than on-site). This reflects location-adjusted pay policies at companies using geographic salary bands. Some companies pay flat national rates regardless of location.

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Related.

Common questions about CDL Truck Driver pay.

Orbyt estimates the national median CDL Truck Driver salary at $57,000 in 2026, within a range of $47,000 to $66,000. This is a computed estimate, not a measured wage. Where you land depends on your experience, skills, the company's size, and your location.

Entry level CDL Truck Drivers (0 to 2 years) typically earn $37,000 to $46,000. Mid level (3 to 5 years) run $48,000 to $60,000. Senior (6 to 9 years) reach $63,000 to $74,000, and lead level (10 plus years) $71,000 to $88,000.

With a national median of $57,000 and senior pay reaching $74,000 to $88,000, CDL Truck Driver is a well compensated field. Pay varies by city, so compare cost of living adjusted numbers before judging any single offer.

Entry level CDL Truck Driver roles start around $37,000 to $46,000. Candidates with strong internships, certifications, or portfolio work often negotiate toward the national median of $57,000.

Per diem payments of $50 to $70 daily for OTR drivers reduce taxable income significantly. Sign-on bonuses of $5,000 to $15,000 are common during driver shortages. Many carriers provide health insurance, 401k matching, and paid home time after specified weeks on the road.

Hauling specialization creates the largest pay differences. Tanker, hazmat, and oversized load endorsements add 15 to 25% over dry van rates. Owner-operators can earn significantly more but assume fuel, maintenance, and insurance costs. Long-haul OTR drivers earn more per mile than regional or local drivers, but local drivers often earn competitive annual totals with better home time.

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