Petroleum Tanker Driver Salary in the United States

How much does a Petroleum Tanker Driver make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Petroleum Tanker Driver in the United States is $48,192 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $23.

However, a Petroleum Tanker Driver's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $57,526
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $42,970 to $53,078
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $38,214
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View as table View as graph 25% $42,970 10% $38,214 90% $57,526 75% $53,078 $48,192 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Petroleum Tanker Driver Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $53,078 $4,423 $1,021 $26
Average $48,192 $4,016 $927 $23
25th Percentile $42,970 $3,581 $826 $21
Check out Petroleum Tanker Driver Job Openings in the United States
Tanker Hazmat Truck Driver OTR

Lion Freight Systems Inc - Columbus, OH

Dedicated HAZMAT Tanker CDL Truck Driver

Knight Transportation - Columbus, OH

Dedicated HAZMAT&amp Tanker OTR Truck Driver

Knight Transportation - Columbus, OH

CDL

Schneider - Columbus, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Petroleum Tanker Driver Salaries

A Petroleum Tanker Driver's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Petroleum Tanker Driver Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Petroleum Tanker Drivers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $53,359.
  • California: $53,156.
  • Massachusetts: $52,448.

Top Paying Cities for Petroleum Tanker Drivers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $60,785
  • San Francisco: $60,119
  • Oakland: $58,852

What Skills Can Increase a Petroleum Tanker Driver's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 1.81% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
  • Machine Controls (Mentioned in 1.31% Job Postings): Machine Control is the use of positioning tools and a display to provide a construction machinery operator with a reference between the position of the bucket or blade and the target grade.
  • Preventive Maintenance (Mentioned in 1.02% Job Postings): Preventive maintenance is the act of performing regularly scheduled maintenance activities to help prevent unexpected failures in the future. Put simply, it's about fixing things before they break.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting 1.81%
Machine Controls 1.31%
Preventive Maintenance 1.02%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Petroleum Tanker Driver's salary.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Verbal Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • CAD: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Collaboration
$50,120
4%
Verbal Communication
$50,120
4%
CAD
$50,120
4%
Programming
$49,638
3%
Welding
$49,638
3%
Scheduling
$49,638
3%
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Petroleum Tanker Driver Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Petroleum Tanker Driver roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the MFG Durable and Retail & Wholesale sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Petroleum Tanker Driver positions in Software & Networking or MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Petroleum Tanker Driver as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Petroleum Tanker Driver

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
MFG Durable$72,288$35.050%
Retail & Wholesale$62,650$30.030%
Aerospace & Defense$57,831$28.020%
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit$53,012$25.010%

Petroleum Tanker Driver Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Petroleum Tanker Driver's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Petroleum Tanker Driver

Salaries for a Petroleum Tanker Driver can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $41,861 in 2023 to around $41,898 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Petroleum Tanker Driver salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Petroleum Tanker Driver Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$41,861
2024
$42,012
2025
$41,898
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $41,861
2024 $42,012
2025 $41,898
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Petroleum Tanker Driver

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Petroleum Tanker Driver

Here are companies hiring for Petroleum Tanker Driver and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Petroleum Tanker Driver Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Petroleum Tanker Driver job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • Badlands Tank Lines

    Columbus, OH

    CDL

    Badlands Tank Lines | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. Job Description. Badlands Tank Lines is the largest crude hauler in the U.S. and is seeking. Weekend. Hazmat Tanker Drivers. to haul crude... more

    5 Days Ago

  • Altom Transport

    Columbus, OH

    Altom Transport | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. Job Description. About Altom Transport. Altom Transport is a family-owned company built on trust, safety, and service. With over 10 strate... more

    1 Day Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Associate Vice President, Internal Communications. About the Company. National consulting & advisory services firm focused on the healthcare industry. Indu... more

    14 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Vice President, Credit Risk Strategy & Data Science. About the Company. High-growth SMB lender building the next generation of credit decisioning. Industry... more

    19 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Vice President, Payments Engineering. About the Company. Globally-recognized provider of corporate payment solutions. Industry. Financial Services. Type. P... more

    21 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Senior Vice President of Project Delivery. About the Company. A multi-billion-dollar construction organization with collaborative, servant-minded leadershi... more

    21 Days Ago

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FAQ about Petroleum Tanker Driver

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Petroleum Tanker Driver?

The MFG Durable industry offers the highest average compensation for Petroleum Tanker Driver roles, with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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