Short version: The national mean W-2 for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers is about $60,800 in 2026, with most drivers between $45,000 and $92,000. The three biggest levers on your paycheck are segment (OTR bottom, LTL and tanker top), endorsements (HAZMAT + Tanker + Doubles/Triples add $10,000–$25,000 a year at scale), and tenure (12 clean months opens dedicated, LTL, and higher-CPM regional fleets). First-year OTR pays $50K–$68K; a driver with 5 clean years, HAZMAT + Tanker, and an LTL or dedicated seat clears $85K–$115K without going owner-operator. Below is the full pay picture by segment, state, endorsement, and CPM math.
On this page
National pay at a glance
The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts roughly 2 million heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers under occupation code 53-3032. Most drive OTR (over-the-road) dry van or regional for a for-hire carrier, but the segment splits — dedicated, LTL (less-than-truckload), tanker, and specialty — set the actual pay picture. Below are the national W-2 percentiles for 2026, before overtime, sign-on bonus, or owner-operator net income.
$38.4K10th %ile · W-2
$47.5K25th %ile · W-2
$58.3KMedian · W-2
$78.2K75th %ile · W-2
$92.6K90th %ile · W-2
The mean sits close to the 55th percentile because a small tail of tanker, LTL city, and specialty drivers pulls the average above the median. The percentile that matters most for a decision-making driver is the 25th to 75th band — that's where the vast majority of experienced full-time drivers cash out annually. The difference between the 25th and the 75th is $30,700 a year — the price of two endorsements, 12 clean months, and a deliberate switch from dry van to LTL or tanker.
Pay by segment
| Segment | First-year W-2 | Experienced W-2 (5+ yr) | Home time | Typical carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OTR dry van | $50,000–$68,000 | $62,000–$85,000 | 2–4 weeks out, 2–4 days home | Schneider, Werner, US Xpress, Prime, CRST, Roehl |
| Regional dry van | $55,000–$75,000 | $68,000–$90,000 | Most weekends home | ArcBest, Melton, USA Truck, XPO Logistics |
| Dedicated (single-customer freight) | — | $65,000–$95,000 | Home nightly or every other night | Amazon Freight, Sysco, Walmart Private Fleet, Costco |
| LTL city P&D | — | $75,000–$105,000 | Home nightly, weekends off | Old Dominion, FedEx Freight, Estes, Saia, XPO, ABF (Teamsters) |
| LTL road / linehaul | — | $85,000–$120,000 | Overnight or turn-and-burn | FedEx Freight, Old Dominion, Saia, Estes |
| Tanker (fuel, chemical) | — | $78,000–$115,000 | Home most nights (regional) | Kenan Advantage, Groendyke, Trimac, Chemical Leaman |
| Food-grade tanker | — | $72,000–$95,000 | Regional | Foodliner, KAG Food Products, Ruan |
| Car hauler | — | $90,000–$140,000 | Regional to OTR | Jack Cooper, Cassens, United Road |
| Oversize / heavy-haul | — | $85,000–$155,000 | Regional to OTR | Anderson Trucking, ATS, Roll Off Rentals |
| Alaska / oilfield | — | $95,000–$180,000 | Rotation schedules | Lynden, Carlile, Halliburton, Schlumberger contractors |
The CPM math
Most OTR and regional dry-van jobs pay by cents per mile (CPM). The math is simple; the numbers are not always understood. A driver at $0.58 CPM running 2,600 miles a week grosses about $1,508 per week, or $78,400 annually if the miles hold. That's the ceiling — most drivers don't run 2,600 every week, they run 2,300–2,500 on a good week and 1,800–2,100 on a slow one. Real annualized income is usually the recruiter's advertised number minus about 12–18%.
| Experience | Typical CPM | 2,300 mi/wk gross | 2,500 mi/wk gross | 2,700 mi/wk gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First year | $0.42–$0.55 | $50,300–$65,800 | $54,600–$71,500 | $58,900–$77,200 |
| 2–5 years | $0.55–$0.65 | $65,800–$77,800 | $71,500–$84,500 | $77,200–$91,300 |
| 5+ years, clean record | $0.60–$0.75 | $71,800–$89,700 | $78,000–$97,500 | $84,200–$105,300 |
| Trainer | +$0.03–$0.05 | — | — | — |
Detention pay (waiting at shipper/receiver over the free window), stop pay (additional stops on a load), layover pay, and per diem are all separate line items on most carriers' pay plans. A driver who reads the pay plan carefully often collects $2,000–$5,000 a year in detention and stop pay that a less careful driver leaves on the table.
Pay by state
State pay for company drivers is less variable than for hourly trades because most drivers are paid CPM, not by hourly rate. The variation you see in state mean wages is mostly a mix of freight density (Illinois, California, Texas, Georgia dominate freight tonnage), oilfield premiums (North Dakota, Wyoming, Alaska), and port-terminal density (California, New Jersey, Washington).
| State | Mean W-2 | 90th %ile W-2 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $74,600 | $115,000 | Oilfield, remote, Lynden, Carlile |
| Washington | $66,400 | $95,200 | Port of Tacoma, Amazon Freight, regional dedicated |
| Nevada | $65,900 | $92,800 | Cross-dock and warehouse dedicated |
| North Dakota | $65,200 | $106,000 | Bakken oilfield freight; premium contracts |
| Illinois | $63,500 | $90,200 | Chicago intermodal, LTL hubs |
| California | $62,900 | $91,400 | Port of LA/LB, intermodal; AB5 constrains owner-op |
| New Jersey | $62,200 | $92,000 | Port of NY/NJ; ABF and YRC Teamsters |
| Texas | $59,800 | $88,300 | Oilfield, port of Houston, cross-border |
| Georgia | $59,200 | $85,900 | Atlanta freight hub, Savannah port |
| Ohio | $58,700 | $85,400 | Midwest hub; Old Dominion, FedEx Freight |
| Florida | $56,300 | $81,900 | Regional and dedicated; less LTL density |
| Louisiana | $52,400 | $77,200 | Petrochemical corridor tanker premium |
| Mississippi | $47,800 | $71,200 | Bottom quartile nationally |
State means understate the pay upside of specialization. Even in Mississippi, a driver with HAZMAT + Tanker running a regional petroleum route through Kenan or Groendyke can clear $85,000–$100,000 W-2 — the state mean isn't reflecting that specialization because most drivers in the state run OTR or regional dry van.
Endorsement pay lifts
Endorsements are the single largest lever a driver has over lifetime earnings without buying a truck. The four with the biggest impact:
| Endorsement | What it unlocks | Annual pay lift |
|---|---|---|
| H — HAZMAT | Fuel hauling, chemical, some dedicated freight | +$3,000–$7,000 |
| T — Doubles / Triples | LTL (FedEx Freight, Old Dominion, Estes, Saia, ABF); pups on the road | Required for LTL; +$10,000–$20,000 vs. OTR dry van |
| N — Tanker | Petroleum, chemical, food-grade tanker | +$5,000–$12,000 for petroleum/chemical |
| X — HAZMAT + Tanker combined | The highest-paying regional freight — fuel and chemical | +$12,000–$25,000 combined |
| Passport (Canada) + FAST card | Cross-border US-Canada freight | +$3,000–$8,000 |
| Airbrake, manual transmission proficiency | Broader carrier and equipment options | Indirect; expands job market |
Owner-operator vs. company driver
Owner-operators (O/Os) run their own trucks — either leased-on to a carrier's authority or with their own operating authority. The gross revenue is much higher; the take-home after expenses often isn't.
| Line item | Leased O/O (typical) | Own authority (typical) |
|---|---|---|
| Gross revenue | $180,000–$240,000 | $220,000–$310,000 |
| Truck payment (finance) or lease | -$19,200–$28,800/yr ($1,600–$2,400/mo) | Same |
| Fuel | -$55,000–$85,000 | Same |
| Insurance | -$8,000–$14,000 | -$14,000–$22,000 (own authority) |
| Maintenance / tires / repair reserve | -$12,000–$22,000 | Same |
| Tolls, permits, IFTA | -$4,000–$8,000 | Same |
| Load-board / dispatcher / broker fees | Included via lease deductions | -$8,000–$20,000 |
| Self-employment tax | -$8,500–$14,000 | Same |
| Estimated net take-home | $55,000–$95,000 | $65,000–$125,000 |
The math works only when three things align: (1) 3+ years of clean OTR experience with a documented safety record, (2) a stable dedicated or specialty freight lane, and (3) a written business plan with cash reserves for at least one unplanned major repair (turbo, transmission, or drive tires all easily $10,000+). Going owner-operator in year one or two is the single most common way drivers lose money. Wait.
What pushes you up the band
- 12 clean months. The single most valuable asset. Every ticket, accident, or hours-of-service violation delays your entry into dedicated, LTL, and higher-CPM regional. Slow is fast.
- T endorsement. Unlocks LTL — the single largest first-year-to-second-year pay jump in the trade.
- X (HAZMAT + Tanker). Unlocks petroleum and chemical hauling. The X endorsement alone is worth $12,000–$25,000 a year for the drivers who use it.
- Dedicated or LTL move at 12 months. $2/hr equivalent lift, plus home nightly.
- Trainer role. +$0.03–$0.05 CPM for the weeks you have a student in the passenger seat. $4,000–$8,000 a year for most trainers.
- Specialty (car haul, heavy-haul, oilfield, refrigerated specialty). Requires additional training but opens six-figure income to solid company drivers without going owner-operator.
- Union carrier. ABF Freight (Teamsters), YRC (before their bankruptcy), and some regional Teamsters routes pay $30–$40 an hour and include pension.
Frequently asked questions
National mean is about $60,800 W-2, with most drivers between $45,000 and $92,000. First-year OTR $50K–$68K; regional $55K–$75K; dedicated $65K–$85K; LTL $75K–$100K; tanker with HAZMAT $85K–$115K.
Cents per mile. First-year drivers earn $0.42–$0.55 CPM; experienced with clean record $0.55–$0.75. A driver at $0.58 CPM running 2,600 miles/week grosses about $1,508/week or $78,400/year.
Tanker drivers with HAZMAT (X) typically top the chart at $85,000–$115,000. Specialty freight — car hauling, heavy-haul oversize, Alaska/oilfield — can clear $110,000–$160,000.
LTL P&D drivers earn $28–$38/hr plus overtime, W-2 landing at $70,000–$100,000. Requires T endorsement and typically 12+ months of clean OTR.
Gross $180,000–$260,000 but net $55,000–$95,000 after truck payment, fuel, insurance, maintenance, tolls, and self-employment tax. Requires 3+ years of clean OTR and a stable freight lane.
Alaska ($75,000+), Washington, Nevada, North Dakota (oilfield), Illinois (Chicago freight hub), and California pay the highest means.
Log 12 clean months and switch to higher-CPM fleet; add HAZMAT and Tanker for fuel/chemical hauling; move to LTL with T endorsement; take a trainer position.
Get help getting placed
A pay chart tells you the market. It doesn't tell you which of the 40 carriers advertising to your ZIP code has the safest fleet, the highest paid miles, and the terminal closest to your house. Marqee is a Career Concierge: a real strategist reviews your MVR, endorsements, and situation, matches you to two or three carriers whose freight, terminal, and pay-per-mile actually fit, and reaches the recruiter directly.
Free tools first — then put a human on it.
Check your market pay free, or let a strategist run your placement search.
Check my market pay →See how Marqee works