The highest-paying trucking jobs are usually in private fleets, LTL linehaul, dedicated routes and specialized freight, and in a handful of higher-paying states. The typical heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver in the United States earned a median of $58,640 a year in May 2025, and the top 10% earned more than $79,380, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Pay is only part of a trucking job, though. Miles, home time, detention, equipment and how the company treats its drivers matter just as much. Here is what the data says, and how to judge an offer.
How much do truck drivers make?
These are the federal numbers for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, the CDL-A drivers who run 53-foot trailers (BLS):
| Measure | Annual pay (May 2025) |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% | $40,140 |
| Median | $58,640 |
| Average (mean) | $59,710 |
| Top 10% | $79,380 |
About 2.06 million people held these jobs. BLS expects about 214,500 openings a year over the next decade, mostly to replace drivers who retire or leave the field (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
Highest-paying trucking jobs by type
The American Trucking Associations' latest driver compensation study, reported in the trade press, found these medians for drivers at the fleets it surveyed (CCJ):
- LTL linehaul drivers: about $85,000.
- Private fleet dedicated dry van drivers: more than $75,000.
- Irregular-route truckload dry van drivers: about $73,639.
- LTL local drivers: about $72,942.
The same study found dedicated-route pay rose faster than irregular-route pay and is now higher. Those figures come from established fleets, so they run above the BLS median, which counts every driver.
What tends to raise pay:
- Private fleets. Companies that haul their own products, like retailers and manufacturers, often pay above for-hire carriers.
- LTL. Linehaul and city drivers for less-than-truckload carriers.
- Dedicated lanes. Steady routes for one customer.
- Endorsements and specialized freight. Hazmat and tanker work usually pay more and ask more of the driver.
- Experience and a clean record. Many companies pay more for years of safe driving.
Highest-paying states for truck drivers
By average annual pay, BLS's top-paying states for heavy truck drivers in May 2025 were:
| State | Average annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $69,520 |
| Washington | $68,230 |
| District of Columbia | $67,710 |
| New Jersey | $66,770 |
| New York | $65,780 |
Higher pay often comes with a higher cost of living. Texas and California have the most truck driving jobs by far.
Highest-paying industries for truck drivers
Among industries with at least 1,000 heavy truck drivers, BLS found the highest average pay in rail transportation ($74,420), metal ore mining ($74,190), the Postal Service ($71,000) and coal mining ($70,730). The truck transportation industry itself, where most drivers work, averaged $61,540.
How to judge a trucking job offer
A high number on a job ad can hide a low-paying job. Ask these questions before you sign:
- How am I paid? Per mile, per hour, by percentage of the load or by salary? Are empty miles paid?
- How many miles will I really run each week? A higher rate on fewer miles can pay less.
- Is detention paid, and after how long? Waiting at a shipper for six hours for free is a pay cut. Most trucking companies charge shippers a detention fee of about $75 to $100 an hour after the first two hours, and ATA's study found most carriers pay their drivers detention. Ask what part of it reaches you.
- What is the home time, in writing? See trucking jobs with home time.
- What equipment will I drive, and who pays for breakdowns and downtime?
- What are the benefits and what do they cost me?
- Is the sign-on bonus paid up front or spread out, and what do I have to do to keep it?
Get pay, routes and home time in writing. If a company won't put it on paper, take that as your answer.
Company driver or owner-operator?
Owner-operators can gross far more than company drivers, but they pay for the truck, fuel, insurance, repairs and taxes out of that gross. A bigger number isn't a bigger paycheck until you subtract the costs. We break that down in the income difference between a company driver and a one-truck owner-operator and how to figure your cost per mile.
Driving in the LFS network
LFS recruits and screens CDL-A drivers for the trucking companies in the LFS network, running 53-foot dry van and reefer freight. We don't post pay figures. Pay, routes and home time are discussed directly with each driver and put in writing by the company you would drive for. See CDL-A driver jobs in the LFS network. We are a carrier-first company, and that starts with the driver in the seat.
Sources
Questions and answers
What is the highest-paying trucking job?
Jobs that pay the most tend to be in private fleets, LTL linehaul, dedicated routes and specialized freight like hazmat and tanker. ATA's latest compensation study put LTL linehaul drivers at about $85,000 a year at the fleets it surveyed.
How much do CDL-A truck drivers make?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median of $58,640 a year for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in May 2025. The top 10% earned more than $79,380.
Which state pays truck drivers the most?
By average annual pay in May 2025, BLS ranked Alaska first at $69,520, followed by Washington, the District of Columbia, New Jersey and New York.
What should I ask before taking a trucking job?
Ask how you're paid, how many miles you'll really run, whether detention and empty miles are paid, what home time is guaranteed in writing, what equipment you'll drive and what benefits cost. Get pay, routes and home time in writing.
Logistical Forwarding Solutions. A carrier-first company.
