Truck Driver Hourly Pay, Skills & Requirements (2026)
Advertised pay, starting pay, skills and experience from 34,157 US job postings by 3,965 employers. Data as of October 2026.
What US employers post for truck drivers: advertised pay, the skills and experience they ask for, and the job titles they use, from 34,157 open job postings (October 2026).
- The median advertised pay for truck drivers in US job postings is $27.00 an hour (5,895 postings from 1,138 employers, October 2026).
- The middle half of those postings offer $24.00 to $30.50 an hour.
- Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $29.00 an hour (1,683 postings).
- The skills that most set truck driver postings apart are DOT regulations, customer service, commercial driving experience.
- Postings that state a minimum ask for a median of 2 years of experience.
Truck Driver job postings in the US, October 2026
- $27.00/hr
- Median advertised pay (5,895 postings)
- $24.00–$30.50
- Middle 50% of postings
- $29.00/hr
- Starting pay (postings asking up to 1 year)
- 34,157
- US job postings from 3,965 employers
How much does a truck driver make an hour?
The median advertised pay is $27.00 an hour, from 5,895 US job postings by 1,138 employers that state pay. That is about $58,000 a year at 2,080 hours.
Advertised pay in 5,895 US truck driver job postings: median $58,000 a year ($27.00 an hour), middle half $51,000 to $69,000.
- Median: $58,000 ($27.00/hr)
- 25th percentile: $51,000
- 75th percentile: $69,000
The figures as a table
| Annual pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| $10K–$20K | 0.0% |
| $20K–$30K | 0.7% |
| $30K–$40K | 3.4% |
| $40K–$50K | 17.9% |
| $50K–$60K | 31.5% |
| $60K–$70K | 23.2% |
| $70K–$80K | 9.8% |
| $80K–$90K | 4.8% |
| $90K–$100K | 3.7% |
| $100K–$110K | 2.8% |
| $110K–$120K | 0.5% |
| $120K–$130K | 0.4% |
| $130K–$140K | 0.1% |
| $140K–$150K | 0.1% |
| $150K–$160K | 0.0% |
| $220K–$230K | 0.1% |
Midpoint of each posting's pay range, hourly pay × 2,080 hours; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
| Median | Middle 50% | Postings | Most common titles | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postings that state an hourly rate | $27.00 | $24.00–$30.50 | 3,277 | Truck Driver, CDL Driver, CDL A Driver |
| Postings that state an annual salary | $85,000 | $75K–$98K | 653 | Truck Driver, CDL Driver, CDL A Driver |
| All pay postings, annualised | $58,000 | $51K–$69K | 5,895 | – |
For comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the national median annual wage of Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (53-3032) at $59,000 (May 2025). Postings advertise pay; the BLS measures what people earn, across all employers and levels.
What is the starting salary for a truck driver?
Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $29.00 an hour (1,683 postings).
| Experience asked | Median advertised pay | Postings |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 years | $29.00/hr | 1,683 |
| 2-4 years | $28.98/hr | 1,361 |
| 5+ years | withheld | 95 |
Highest-paying truck driver jobs
Specializations with at least 250 postings that state pay.
| Specialization | Median pay | Postings with pay | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local Driver | $31.25/hr | 517 | 126 |
| Class A CDL Driver | $29.65/hr | 1,206 | 352 |
| Truck Driver (general) | $28.00/hr | 1,468 | 292 |
| CDL Delivery Driver | $26.70/hr | 345 | 94 |
| CDL Driver | $26.50/hr | 801 | 246 |
Truck driver pay by state
Single-location US postings; states with at least 100 postings that state pay. States with pay-transparency laws (such as California, Colorado, New York and Washington) are over-represented among postings that state pay.
| State | Median pay | Middle 50% | Postings with pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $30.25/hr | $26.58–$33.88 | 167 | 2.0% |
| Massachusetts | $29.50/hr | $27.34–$34.68 | 111 | 1.8% |
| Utah | $29.50/hr | $26.58–$40.87 | 105 | 1.5% |
| California | $29.42/hr | $25.88–$33.00 | 395 | 5.4% |
| Pennsylvania | $29.14/hr | $25.00–$36.48 | 234 | 5.2% |
| Colorado | $29.09/hr | $26.12–$33.00 | 183 | 2.3% |
| Ohio | $28.91/hr | $24.04–$36.28 | 236 | 4.7% |
| Texas | $28.50/hr | $23.90–$35.00 | 241 | 8.2% |
| New York | $28.00/hr | $25.00–$32.75 | 321 | 4.0% |
| Virginia | $27.85/hr | $24.28–$33.45 | 151 | 3.0% |
| New Jersey | $27.83/hr | $24.97–$32.33 | 125 | 1.9% |
| Florida | $27.30/hr | $22.31–$38.46 | 110 | 4.7% |
| Tennessee | $27.00/hr | $24.95–$34.71 | 122 | 2.5% |
| Minnesota | $27.00/hr | $25.00–$32.00 | 154 | 2.0% |
| Indiana | $26.58/hr | $24.18–$32.24 | 146 | 3.3% |
| Illinois | $26.31/hr | $22.50–$32.50 | 249 | 3.7% |
| Missouri | $25.00/hr | $24.50–$28.69 | 135 | 3.1% |
Skills employers ask for in truck driver job postings
| Skill | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| Customer service | 22% |
| Communication | 20% |
| Work independently | 9% |
| Attention to detail | 9% |
| Dependable | 6% |
| DOT regulations | 5% |
| Organizational skills | 5% |
| Time management | 5% |
| Professionalism | 5% |
| Interpersonal skills | 4% |
Skills named in the posting text; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026. Methodology.
Skills that set truck drivers apart
- DOT regulations64.6× as often as in all postings · 5%
Skills named in at least 5% of these postings and at least 3 times as often as in job postings overall.
Have a truck driver job posting in front of you? See which of its skills your resume is missing.
What does a truck driver do?
Employers post these jobs as CDL Driver, Class A CDL Driver, CDL A Driver, CDL Class A Driver, CDL Truck Driver and other titles. The largest specializations are Class A CDL Driver (25%), CDL Driver (11%), Local Driver (11%), Driver (3%), CDL Delivery Driver (5%), Propane Delivery Driver (3%).
The closest official occupation is Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (53-3032.00). Its most important tasks:
- Check all load-related documentation for completeness and accuracy.
- Inspect loads to ensure that cargo is secure.
- Check vehicles to ensure that mechanical, safety, and emergency equipment is in good working order.
- Crank trailer landing gear up or down to safely secure vehicles.
- Obtain receipts or signatures for delivered goods and collect payment for services when required.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
How much experience do you need to be a truck driver?
Among 5,122 postings that state a minimum, the median is 2 years. Under 1% say 0 years and 48% ask for 1 year or less.
Minimum experience asked in 5,122 US truck driver job postings: median 2 years, and 48% ask for 1 year or less.
The figures as a table
| Minimum experience asked | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| 0 yr | 6% |
| 1 yr | 42% |
| 2 yrs | 35% |
| 3-4 yrs | 14% |
| 5-7 yrs | 3% |
| 8-9 yrs | under 1% |
| 10+ yrs | under 1% |
Postings that state a minimum (required or preferred); at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
We do not show a degree figure: in our checks, degree requirements in posting text were found too rarely to publish one. Why.
Full-time 89%, Part-time 11% of the 1,999 postings that state working hours.
Other names for a truck driver: job titles employers use
| Job title | Employers using it |
|---|---|
| Truck Driver | 768 (19.4%) |
| CDL Driver | 610 (15.4%) |
| Class A CDL Driver | 215 (5.4%) |
| CDL A Driver | 186 (4.7%) |
| CDL Class A Driver | 142 (3.6%) |
| CDL Truck Driver | 128 (3.2%) |
| Class A CDL | 109 (2.8%) |
| CDL A Truck Driver | 102 (2.6%) |
| Driver | 94 (2.4%) |
| Tow Truck Driver | 86 (2.2%) |
| Yard Jockey | 74 (1.9%) |
| Class A Driver | 72 (1.8%) |
| CDL Delivery Driver | 71 (1.8%) |
| Dump Truck Driver | 69 (1.7%) |
| Yard Driver | 65 (1.6%) |
| Class A CDL Truck Driver | 59 (1.5%) |
| Local Driver | 56 (1.4%) |
| Truck Drivers | 55 (1.4%) |
| Transport Driver | 55 (1.4%) |
| Owner Operator | 54 (1.4%) |
Titles read in our audit and used by at least 3 employers.
Truck driver job titles compared
The titles people search for most, from the US job postings that use each exact title (October 2026).
| Job title | Open postings | Employers | Median pay | Median experience | Skills named most |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | 440 | 94 | – | – | customer service, interpersonal skills, DOT regulations |
| CDL Driver | 2,273 | 610 | $27.00/hr | 2 years | customer service, communication, dependable |
Truck Driver compared with similar careers
| Career | Median pay | Median experience | Postings | Shares N of top 25 skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truck Driver | $27.00/hr | 2 years | 34,157 | – |
| Delivery Driver | $21.00/hr | 1 year | 38,413 | 20 |
| Heavy Equipment Operator | $27.00/hr | 2 years | 5,295 | 19 |
| Warehouse Associate | $20.00/hr | 1 year | 92,043 | 15 |
| General Laborer | $20.00/hr | 1 year | 6,220 | 16 |
Similar careers
| Career | Shares N of the top 25 skills | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery Driver | 20 | $21.00/hr |
| Heavy Equipment Operator | 19 | $27.00/hr |
| Warehouse Associate | 15 | $20.00/hr |
| General Laborer | 16 | $20.00/hr |
| Custodian | 20 | $17.85/hr |
| Machine Operator | 16 | $21.38/hr |
Applying for truck driver jobs?
- Truck driver resume examples: one-page examples for these roles
- Match your resume to a job: paste a posting and see the skills your resume is missing
- Check your resume: see how an applicant tracking system reads it
- Find truck driver jobs: search open postings
Frequently asked questions
How much does a truck driver make an hour?
What is the starting salary for a truck driver?
What are the highest-paying truck driver jobs?
How much does a CDL Driver make?
Source and method
Open US job postings collected from employers' applicant tracking systems, de-duplicated, counted only when their job title was read in our audit. Shares count at most 20 postings per employer, and franchise locations of one brand count as one employer. Pay uses hourly and annual figures only; a figure is shown when leaving out the largest employer moves it by 10% or less. Every figure states its number of postings. Methodology and measured accuracy.
Accuracy check: we read 20 randomly chosen postings counted on this page in full; 19 of them were this career or a closely related one (October 2026).
Download the figures on this page (CSV): every number above with its count of postings. Aggregate figures are licensed CC BY 4.0; cite the page when you reuse them.