Truck Driver Pay by State (2026)
Every US state, one page each: official BLS wages for heavy and tractor-trailer drivers, the freight that moves there, and how pay structure changes by state.
By the HaulMath editorial team · Updated $1
Key numbers at a glance
| Benchmark (BLS OEWS, May 2025) | Value |
|---|---|
| National median, heavy/tractor-trailer drivers | $58,640/year ($28.19/hr) |
| National mean | $59,710/year ($28.71/hr) |
| Entry level (10th percentile) | ≤$40,140/year |
| Top decile | ≥$79,380/year |
How to use these pages
Each state page carries the BLS OEWS figures for heavy and tractor-trailer drivers (May 2025 release — the official government wage series), then layers the practical context: the state's freight character (ports, interstate corridors, agriculture, energy), the local OTR-versus-regional-versus-local mix, the income-tax angle, and what the pay actually buys after the state's cost of living. Company drivers get a market map; owner-operators get a lane map — your own cost per mile still decides what any wage is worth.
All 50 states
Wages are BLS OEWS employee figures (May 2025); each page cites them and hedges everything else. Owner-operators: your cost per mile rules your reality — start here.
Reading the map like an operator
Nominal wage rankings flatter expensive states. The states that consistently net best for drivers combine above-average BLS wages, no income tax, and dense freight lanes — the Texas triangle, Washington's ports, Florida's corridors. The states that look rich on paper (NY, NJ, CA) hand a chunk back in taxes and toll-lane living. Company drivers should compare wage ÷ cost-of-living; owner-operators should compare revenue per mile ÷ cost per mile — the load profit calculator and the deductions list do that arithmetic.
FAQ
Which states pay truck drivers the most?
BLS wages lead in the Northeast and West Coast — but no-tax states often net more. State pages carry the exact figures.
Where does the wage data come from?
BLS OEWS for heavy and tractor-trailer drivers (SOC 53-3032), May 2025 release — cited on every state page.
Is OTR or local pay better?
OTR grosses more, local buys home time. Compare per-hour-of-life, not headline rate.
How do taxes change which state is best?
No-income-tax states leave 5–10% more of the same gross; for owner-operators the effect compounds through the business.
Do these figures include owner-operators?
No — BLS covers employees. Owner-operators build income from their own cost per mile, not wage averages.