BLS OEWS May 2024 — SOC 53-3032: Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
Mean and median pay for Class 8 truck drivers across all 50 states, plus how driver wages drive fleet operating cost. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey.
| # | State | Mean Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $68,520 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $66,850 |
| 3 | Washington | $65,670 |
| 4 | Colorado | $64,230 |
| 5 | New York | $63,340 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $63,170 |
| 7 | Wyoming | $62,420 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $62,130 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $61,610 |
| 10 | Hawaii | $61,320 |
| 11 | Nebraska | $61,030 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $61,030 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $60,820 |
| 14 | Oregon | $60,820 |
| 15 | Illinois | $60,650 |
| 16 | California | $60,610 |
| 17 | Vermont | $60,150 |
| 18 | Maryland | $60,090 |
| 19 | Nevada | $59,820 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $59,740 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $59,740 |
| 22 | Delaware | $59,090 |
| 23 | Maine | $58,860 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $58,800 |
| 25 | Utah | $58,720 |
| 26 | Montana | $58,240 |
| 27 | Michigan | $57,820 |
| 28 | Ohio | $57,820 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $57,550 |
| 30 | Virginia | $57,470 |
| 31 | Idaho | $57,350 |
| 32 | Missouri | $56,990 |
| 33 | West Virginia | $56,990 |
| 34 | Georgia | $56,950 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $56,830 |
| 36 | Texas | $56,720 |
| 37 | Kansas | $56,620 |
| 38 | Indiana | $56,490 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $55,950 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $55,950 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $55,950 |
| 42 | Arizona | $55,810 |
| 43 | Iowa | $55,620 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $55,620 |
| 45 | Alabama | $54,870 |
| 46 | Florida | $54,870 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $54,600 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $54,450 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $53,580 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $53,390 |
Green = above national mean ($58,240/yr). Source: BLS OEWS May 2024 — SOC 53-3032.
Driver wages and benefits are the largest single cost category in for-hire trucking, typically running 35–40 cents per mile on a long-haul network. The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2024 puts the national mean for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (SOC 53-3032) at $58,240/yr ($28.00/hr) across 2,070k employed drivers. State wages vary by more than $15,130/yr between Alaska and Mississippi, a gap that directly impacts carrier operating cost on specific lane pairs. Fleet managers use this data to benchmark pay packages, model relocation incentives, and estimate loaded-rate floors when bidding on high-wage-state origins. Dealers use it to gauge the labor health of fleet customers and anticipate equipment replacement cycles tied to driver hiring demand. Drivers use it to compare offers and target the highest-paying states for their route type.
Fleet cost modeling
Cost Per Mile Calculator →
Model full operating cost including driver wages, fuel, insurance, and maintenance.
Labor supply signal
Trucking Employment →
Monthly BLS truck-transportation payroll employment as a read on driver availability and hiring demand.
According to BLS OEWS May 2024 data (SOC 53-3032: Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers), the national mean annual wage is $58,240 ($28.00/hr). The median is $57,440 ($27.62/hr). Approximately 2,070 thousand drivers are employed in this category.
As of 2024 BLS data, Alaska has the highest mean annual pay at $68,520, followed by New Jersey ($66,850) and Washington ($65,670). Higher pay states often reflect local cost of living, port proximity, or strong freight lane demand.
The US median wage for all occupations is approximately $46,000/year (BLS). Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn a median of $57,440 — above the national median. Owner-operators who lease or own their trucks can earn significantly more (or less) depending on fuel, maintenance, and freight rates.
Driver wages and benefits typically account for 35–40% of total cost per mile for a long-haul fleet. At the national mean of $28.00/hr and a typical 2,500 miles/week at a 60 mph average, labor cost runs roughly $0.40–$0.50 per mile before benefits. States with high driver wages compress carrier margins on regional lanes and increase contract rate pressure during bid cycles.
Owner-operators have higher gross revenue potential but significantly higher costs — fuel, maintenance, insurance, tires, loan payments, and self-employment taxes. The BLS OEWS survey covers employees only and excludes self-employed owner-operators. After fuel, truck payments, and insurance, many owner-operators net $60,000–$90,000/year in stable freight markets. Company drivers have lower gross pay but more predictable take-home.
Key factors include: type of freight (hazmat, flatbed, reefer pay premiums over dry van), experience level, employer type (private fleet vs. for-hire carrier), CDL endorsements (HazMat, TWIC), route type (OTR vs. regional vs. local), and state/region. Specialized loads (oversized, tanker, liquid bulk) consistently pay above general freight rates.
The mean (average) wage includes all surveyed workers and is pulled upward by high earners in high-cost metros, unionized fleets, and dedicated automotive or chemical routes. The median wage is the midpoint — half of drivers earn more, half earn less. For evaluating what a typical driver expects to earn in a given state, the median is usually more representative than the mean.
BLS releases OEWS data annually, typically in late April or early May covering the prior May survey period. The figures on this page are from the May 2024 survey. TruckRadar updates the state table within a week of each annual BLS OEWS release.