Truck Driver Schools, Salaries, and Job Data

Job Numbers and Growth

There are about 1,860,000 jobs for truck drivers in the US. The unemployment ranking for this career was high, compared to other occupations. About 4% of employees were without employment in 2008.

Area Job Conditions

Truck drivers are most common in Joplin (Missouri), Fayetteville (Arkansas), and Laredo (Texas), and least common in Bethesda (Maryland), Boulder (Colorado), and Santa Fe (New Mexico).

Workers are paid the most in Fairbanks (Alaska), Trenton (New Jersey), and Nassau (New York), and the least in Wheeling (West Virginia), Hot Springs (Arkansas), and Warner Robins (Georgia).

Training and Education

Most employees have moderate-term on-the-job training. Approximately 4% of truck drivers have a bachelor's degree. About 25% of workers have been to college without getting a degree. About 71% of employees obtain jobs with only a high-school diploma or GED. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career.

Part-Time Work and Self-Employment

Among truck drivers, 7% work less than full-time. Some 9% of workers work for themselves.

Truck Drivers: An Introductory Video

Truck Drivers Around the Country

In the list below, each metro area is rated for the relative popularity of truck drivers compared to other locations (that is, jobs per population). Single or double up or down arrows indicate the relative popularity in that location. Within each state listing, metro areas are sorted by the actual number of jobs for truck drivers.

Alabama

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Birmingham	$41,000	8,590
Mobile	$37,000	3,060
Montgomery	$41,000	2,040
Decatur	$35,000	1,560
Huntsville	$38,000	1,530
Dothan	$41,000	1,520
Tuscaloosa	$33,000	1,300
Gadsden	$37,000	730
Auburn	$28,000	690
Anniston	$38,000	680
Florence	$32,000	600

Alaska

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Anchorage	$46,000	1,540
Fairbanks	$50,000	460

Arizona

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Phoenix	$40,000	17,450
Tucson	$39,000	2,390
Kingman	$33,000	600
Prescott	$35,000	570
Flagstaff	$38,000	370

Arkansas

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Fayetteville	$43,000	11,380
Little Rock	$35,000	7,300
Fort Smith	$39,000	5,090
Jonesboro	$29,000	870
Pine Bluff	$28,000	400
Hot Springs	$25,000	220

California

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Riverside	$44,000	23,750
Oakland	$43,000	8,710
Santa Ana	$41,000	8,190
San Diego	$42,000	8,170
Sacramento	$43,000	7,760
Stockton	$43,000	5,670
Bakersfield	$39,000	5,080
San Jose	$41,000	4,580
San Francisco	$45,000	4,000
Fresno	$41,000	3,690
Modesto	$40,000	3,240
Visalia	$35,000	2,090
Santa Rosa	$40,000	1,880
Oxnard	$42,000	1,840
Redding	$39,000	1,660
Salinas	$37,000	1,460
Vallejo	$39,000	1,370
Merced	$45,000	1,010
Santa Barbara	$37,000	960
El Centro	$33,000	790
Santa Cruz	$43,000	710
San Luis Obispo	$38,000	710
Chico	$36,000	610
Hanford	$36,000	560
Madera	$38,000	430
Yuba City	$41,000	400
Napa	$40,000	310

Colorado

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Denver	$42,000	12,160
Greeley	$43,000	1,900
Grand Junction	$42,000	1,360
Colorado Springs	$34,000	1,310
Fort Collins	$35,000	930
Pueblo	$33,000	510
Boulder	$35,000	500

Connecticut

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Hartford	$45,000	3,970
New Haven	$46,000	2,950
Bridgeport	$44,000	2,090
Norwich	$39,000	940
Danbury	$41,000	710
Waterbury	$40,000	430

Delaware

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Wilmington	$43,000	3,520
Dover	$34,000	620

District of Columbia

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Washington	$40,000	12,080

Florida

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Tampa	$35,000	11,010
Orlando	$36,000	10,480
Miami	$35,000	9,550
Jacksonville	$37,000	8,980
Fort Lauderdale	$36,000	6,000
Lakeland	$39,000	5,630
West Palm Beach	$35,000	3,070
Ocala	$31,000	2,000
Sarasota	$36,000	1,960
Cape Coral	$34,000	1,720
Pensacola	$32,000	1,630
Palm Bay	$32,000	1,360
Deltona	$38,000	1,260
Tallahassee	$30,000	1,120
Port St Lucie	$35,000	920
Gainesville	$30,000	900
Naples	$34,000	840
Panama City	$29,000	720
Punta Gorda	$38,000	320
Fort Walton Beach	$28,000	310
Sebastian	$36,000	260
Palm Coast	$27,000	170

Georgia

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Atlanta	$42,000	30,940
Augusta	$34,000	1,990
Savannah	$39,000	1,960
Dalton	$36,000	1,580
Albany	$33,000	1,220
Gainesville	$38,000	1,160
Macon	$31,000	1,030
Columbus	$31,000	1,010
Valdosta	$39,000	910
Athens	$36,000	790
Brunswick	$39,000	560
Rome	$31,000	430
Warner Robins	$30,000	250
Hinesville	$30,000	140

Hawaii

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Honolulu	$40,000	2,460

Idaho

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Boise	$31,000	4,350
Idaho Falls	$31,000	1,420
Coeur Dalene	$34,000	700
Pocatello	$32,000	460
Lewiston	$40,000	380

Illinois

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Chicago	$45,000	38,880
Peoria	$35,000	3,360
Rockford	$42,000	1,880
Bloomington	$40,000	1,270
Champaign	$33,000	1,100
Springfield	$41,000	770
Kankakee	$38,000	720
Decatur	$41,000	690
Danville	$46,000	620

Indiana

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Indianapolis	$37,000	17,240
Gary	$42,000	6,930
Fort Wayne	$40,000	4,450
Evansville	$36,000	3,050
South Bend	$37,000	2,110
Elkhart	$37,000	1,990
Lafayette	$37,000	1,350
Columbus	$38,000	1,150
Terre Haute	$36,000	1,070
Anderson	$36,000	1,040
Bloomington	$34,000	880
Michigan City	$40,000	690
Kokomo	$39,000	520
Muncie	$35,000	370

Iowa

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Des Moines	$41,000	5,930
Cedar Rapids	$41,000	5,030
Davenport	$39,000	2,690
Sioux City	$38,000	1,500
Waterloo	$33,000	1,380
Dubuque	$36,000	930
Ames	$32,000	280

Kansas

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Wichita	$38,000	3,180
Topeka	$30,000	1,100
Lawrence	$34,000	240

Kentucky

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Louisville	$38,000	10,730
Lexington	$40,000	3,650
Bowling Green	$31,000	750
Elizabethtown	$35,000	700
Owensboro	$33,000	590

Louisiana

Location	Median Pay	Workers
New Orleans	$36,000	5,340
Baton Rouge	$36,000	4,130
Shreveport	$38,000	2,530
Lafayette	$34,000	2,080
Houma	$30,000	1,400
Lake Charles	$37,000	1,290
Alexandria	$31,000	940
Monroe	$33,000	720

Maine

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Portland	$36,000	2,570
Bangor	$38,000	1,730
Lewiston	$36,000	1,010

Maryland

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Baltimore	$40,000	12,700
Bethesda	$39,000	2,180
Hagerstown	$41,000	1,850
Salisbury	$44,000	650
Cumberland	$33,000	330

Massachusetts

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Boston	$43,000	8,720
Springfield	$42,000	4,290
Worcester	$46,000	2,660
Lowell	$47,000	1,430
Brockton	$41,000	1,340
Taunton	$47,000	1,120
Barnstable Town	$39,000	1,050
Framingham	$42,000	920
New Bedford	$42,000	760
Haverhill	$40,000	670
Leominster	$39,000	500
Pittsfield	$41,000	320
Lawrence	$41,000	300

Michigan

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Detroit	$42,000	11,590
Warren	$41,000	10,770
Grand Rapids	$40,000	4,690
Lansing	$38,000	2,000
Kalamazoo	$35,000	1,990
Holland	$38,000	1,900
Ann Arbor	$37,000	1,350
Monroe	$41,000	950
Saginaw	$40,000	920
Flint	$35,000	880
Jackson	$36,000	690
Niles	$31,000	690
Muskegon	$32,000	560
Bay City	$38,000	550
Battle Creek	$36,000	300

Minnesota

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Minneapolis	$42,000	16,700
St Cloud	$39,000	1,770
Duluth	$39,000	1,710
Rochester	$36,000	1,190

Mississippi

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Jackson	$39,000	4,970
Gulfport	$41,000	1,200
Hattiesburg	$34,000	720
Pascagoula	$29,000	300

Missouri

Location	Median Pay	Workers
St Louis	$42,000	16,250
Kansas City	$41,000	14,850
Springfield	$38,000	5,090
Joplin	$34,000	4,480
Columbia	$35,000	860
Jefferson City	$33,000	770
St Joseph	$34,000	770

Montana

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Billings	$40,000	1,360
Missoula	$38,000	690
Great Falls	$35,000	420

Nebraska

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Omaha	$41,000	15,640
Lincoln		6,260

Nevada

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Las Vegas	$43,000	5,860
Reno	$44,000	3,660
Carson City	$37,000	100

New Hampshire

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Nashua	$40,000	1,720
Manchester	$38,000	1,100
Rochester	$37,000	440
Portsmouth	$40,000	310

New Jersey

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Newark	$43,000	11,660
Edison	$41,000	11,320
Camden	$45,000	7,270
Vineland	$46,000	1,310
Trenton	$47,000	940
Atlantic City	$40,000	590
Ocean City	$39,000	250

New Mexico

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Albuquerque	$39,000	3,930
Farmington	$36,000	1,230
Las Cruces	$27,000	320
Santa Fe	$33,000	180

New York

Location	Median Pay	Workers
New York	$46,000	26,300
Nassau	$49,000	9,300
Buffalo	$39,000	5,190
Syracuse	$39,000	4,580
Albany	$44,000	4,190
Rochester	$34,000	3,230
Poughkeepsie	$45,000	2,690
Utica	$33,000	1,550
Binghamton	$33,000	1,400
Kingston	$37,000	490
Elmira	$38,000	340
Glens Falls	$35,000	340
Ithaca	$33,000	190

North Carolina

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Charlotte	$41,000	11,700
Greensboro	$38,000	6,560
Hickory	$44,000	3,930
Raleigh	$38,000	3,800
Winston Salem	$39,000	3,030
Asheville	$37,000	1,910
Fayetteville	$38,000	1,510
Wilmington	$38,000	1,290
Durham	$39,000	1,080
Rocky Mount	$37,000	980
Burlington	$36,000	790
Greenville	$32,000	530
Goldsboro	$30,000	430
Jacksonville	$31,000	260

North Dakota

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Fargo	$39,000	2,110
Bismarck	$33,000	970
Grand Forks	$33,000	970

Ohio

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Columbus	$39,000	12,140
Cincinnati	$38,000	11,780
Cleveland	$40,000	11,500
Toledo	$40,000	5,400
Dayton	$39,000	4,990
Akron	$39,000	4,710
Youngstown	$39,000	4,580
Canton	$40,000	2,090
Lima	$36,000	1,050
Springfield	$32,000	1,020
Sandusky	$37,000	640
Mansfield	$42,000	570

Oklahoma

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Oklahoma City	$36,000	7,510
Tulsa	$39,000	6,080
Lawton	$28,000	390

Oregon

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Portland	$40,000	13,570
Salem	$36,000	1,980
Eugene	$35,000	1,880
Medford	$35,000	1,590
Bend	$37,000	480
Corvallis	$36,000	230

Pennsylvania

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Philadelphia	$42,000	14,310
Pittsburgh	$39,000	11,540
Harrisburg	$45,000	6,070
Allentown	$41,000	4,690
Lancaster	$41,000	4,360
Scranton	$35,000	4,340
York	$40,000	3,670
Reading	$39,000	2,640
Altoona	$36,000	1,320
Erie	$35,000	1,270
Johnstown	$40,000	840
Lebanon	$38,000	680
State College	$41,000	640
Williamsport	$36,000	540

Rhode Island

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Providence	$40,000	4,520

South Carolina

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Greenville	$41,000	4,620
Charleston	$36,000	3,200
Columbia	$37,000	3,060
Spartanburg	$35,000	2,750
Florence	$37,000	1,320
Myrtle Beach	$31,000	830
Anderson	$33,000	590
Sumter	$35,000	450

South Dakota

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Sioux Falls	$35,000	2,880
Rapid City	$35,000	1,130

Tennessee

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Memphis	$41,000	15,340
Nashville	$39,000	15,060
Chattanooga	$38,000	8,080
Knoxville	$37,000	6,920
Kingsport	$37,000	2,050
Morristown	$46,000	1,620
Jackson	$34,000	1,270
Johnson City	$35,000	970
Clarksville	$30,000	860
Cleveland	$38,000	660

Texas

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Houston	$36,000	29,150
Dallas	$41,000	28,630
Fort Worth	$38,000	11,710
San Antonio	$35,000	9,180
El Paso	$42,000	5,230
Austin	$34,000	4,690
Mcallen	$31,000	4,450
Laredo	$34,000	3,530
Longview	$36,000	1,900
Beaumont	$32,000	1,840
Corpus Christi	$32,000	1,780
Amarillo	$38,000	1,690
Texarkana	$37,000	1,650
Lubbock	$31,000	1,470
Killeen	$31,000	1,360
Waco	$34,000	1,310
Brownsville	$31,000	1,310
Midland	$40,000	1,290
College Station	$36,000	1,120
Odessa	$38,000	1,110
Tyler	$35,000	930
Wichita Falls	$34,000	840
Abilene	$34,000	800
Victoria	$34,000	760
Sherman	$38,000	500
San Angelo	$29,000	360

Utah

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Salt Lake City	$39,000	10,090
Ogden	$38,000	2,590
Provo	$39,000	1,270
St George	$41,000	790
Logan	$38,000	650

Vermont

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Burlington	$38,000	1,000

Virginia

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Richmond	$40,000	8,550
Virginia Beach	$35,000	7,060
Roanoke	$36,000	2,590
Lynchburg	$35,000	1,390
Harrisonburg	$38,000	1,160
Winchester	$38,000	830
Charlottesville	$32,000	700
Blacksburg	$35,000	600
Danville	$37,000	500

Washington

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Seattle	$44,000	11,840
Tacoma	$43,000	3,720
Spokane	$40,000	2,950
Yakima	$39,000	1,320
Kennewick	$44,000	980
Olympia	$42,000	900
Longview	$41,000	790
Bellingham	$38,000	790
Mount Vernon	$47,000	660
Bremerton	$41,000	490
Wenatchee	$38,000	400

West Virginia

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Charleston	$32,000	2,890
Huntington	$33,000	1,610
Parkersburg	$31,000	1,390
Morgantown	$32,000	710
Wheeling	$31,000	690
Weirton	$32,000	480

Wisconsin

Location	Median Pay	Workers
Milwaukee	$40,000	8,410
Green Bay	$36,000	4,490
Madison	$42,000	3,130
Janesville	$42,000	1,760
Appleton	$36,000	1,650
Wausau	$40,000	1,560
Oshkosh	$40,000	1,160
Racine	$47,000	1,020
Sheboygan	$40,000	960
La Crosse	$37,000	870
Fond	$39,000	820
Eau Claire	$44,000	790

Wyoming

Location	Median Pay	Workers	Popularity
Casper	$43,000	820
Cheyenne	$31,000	700

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