Mean and median wages for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (SOC 53-3032) across all 50 states. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2023 survey. Driver wages are the single largest line item in fleet operating costs and a key input for contract rate negotiation.
| # | State | Mean hourly | Mean annual | Median annual | Employed (k) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $37.19 | $77,360 | $74,470 | 4.1 |
| 2 | Washington | $32.12 | $66,810 | $62,610 | 43.2 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $30.88 | $64,230 | $60,520 | 35.6 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $29.84 | $62,060 | $58,040 | 23.1 |
| 5 | Hawaii | $29.50 | $61,360 | $57,410 | 5.2 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $28.01 | $58,270 | $54,500 | 4.4 |
| 7 | Illinois | $27.96 | $58,150 | $54,710 | 76.5 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $27.81 | $57,840 | $53,870 | 14.5 |
| 9 | New York | $27.72 | $57,650 | $53,870 | 64.0 |
| 10 | Oregon | $27.44 | $57,080 | $53,450 | 22.1 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $27.32 | $56,820 | $53,060 | 40.0 |
| 12 | North Dakota | $27.13 | $56,440 | $53,050 | 9.5 |
| 13 | Colorado | $27.02 | $56,200 | $52,620 | 29.4 |
| 14 | New Hampshire | $26.90 | $55,960 | $52,420 | 6.8 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $26.86 | $55,870 | $52,420 | 6.2 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $26.62 | $55,360 | $51,590 | 72.8 |
| 17 | California | $26.61 | $55,350 | $51,580 | 183.0 |
| 18 | Maryland | $26.38 | $54,880 | $51,170 | 22.6 |
| 19 | Delaware | $25.94 | $53,950 | $50,550 | 5.8 |
| 20 | Utah | $25.79 | $53,650 | $50,130 | 19.0 |
| 21 | Michigan | $25.69 | $53,440 | $49,710 | 55.4 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $25.54 | $53,130 | $49,720 | 40.5 |
| 23 | Arizona | $25.42 | $52,870 | $48,880 | 40.5 |
| 24 | Ohio | $25.39 | $52,810 | $49,510 | 76.1 |
| 25 | Iowa | $25.24 | $52,500 | $49,720 | 30.6 |
| 26 | Nevada | $25.07 | $52,150 | $48,870 | 19.5 |
| 27 | Vermont | $25.00 | $52,010 | $48,880 | 4.2 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $25.00 | $51,970 | $49,090 | 22.0 |
| 29 | Indiana | $24.90 | $51,800 | $48,670 | 54.2 |
| 30 | Virginia | $24.79 | $51,560 | $48,060 | 41.2 |
| 31 | Idaho | $24.66 | $51,290 | $48,250 | 12.8 |
| 32 | Texas | $24.63 | $51,240 | $47,640 | 178.5 |
| 33 | Missouri | $24.52 | $50,990 | $47,850 | 42.7 |
| 34 | Kansas | $24.25 | $50,440 | $48,050 | 24.1 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $24.22 | $50,390 | $47,420 | 38.9 |
| 36 | Montana | $24.10 | $50,130 | $47,220 | 9.3 |
| 37 | Maine | $24.10 | $50,120 | $47,010 | 8.3 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $23.99 | $49,910 | $47,010 | 9.8 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $23.83 | $49,570 | $46,390 | 55.3 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $23.54 | $48,970 | $46,990 | 33.8 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $23.43 | $48,740 | $45,760 | 55.7 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $23.38 | $48,630 | $45,340 | 30.5 |
| 43 | Georgia | $23.17 | $48,200 | $45,340 | 74.0 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $22.99 | $47,820 | $44,920 | 29.1 |
| 45 | Alabama | $22.92 | $47,680 | $43,880 | 43.2 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $22.85 | $47,530 | $44,720 | 11.0 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $22.76 | $47,350 | $44,510 | 12.7 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $22.26 | $46,290 | $43,680 | 30.4 |
| 49 | Florida | $21.99 | $45,730 | $41,810 | 92.1 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $21.41 | $44,540 | $41,810 | 22.9 |
Green = above national mean ($51,040/yr). Employed in thousands.
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 2023 puts the national mean for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (SOC 53-3032) at $51,040/yr ($24.54/hr) across 1,811k employed drivers. State wages vary by more than $32,820/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.
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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for May 2023, the national mean annual wage for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (SOC 53-3032) was $51,040, equivalent to a mean hourly rate of $24.54. The median was lower at $46,240 per year ($22.23/hr), reflecting a right-skewed distribution where experienced owner-operators and union drivers pull the mean up.
Alaska leads at a mean annual wage of $77,360, driven by the remote freight premium and harsh operating conditions. Washington state ($66,810) and New Jersey ($64,230) rank second and third, reflecting high cost of living, port traffic, and union density. Massachusetts ($62,060) and Hawaii ($61,360) round out the top five. Western and Northeastern states consistently pay above the national mean.
Driver wages and benefits typically account for 35–40% of total cost per mile for a long-haul fleet. At the national mean of $24.54/hr and a typical 2,500 miles/week at 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.
The BLS OEWS survey covers employees only — it does not include self-employed owner-operators or independent contractors who lease on to carriers. Owner-operators gross significantly more ($120,000–$180,000+/yr on OTR lanes) but also bear all truck, insurance, fuel, and maintenance costs, so net income after expenses is often comparable to or only modestly above employee driver pay.
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 2023 survey, released April 2024. TruckRadar updates this table within a week of each annual BLS OEWS release.
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.