How much does a Truck Operator make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Truck Operator in the United States is $52,812 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $25.
However, a Truck Operator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $63,663
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $47,666 to $58,492
Key Factors That Influence Truck Operator Salaries
A Truck Operator's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how geographic location, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Do Truck Operator 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 Truck Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
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: $66,611
San Francisco: $65,882
Oakland: $64,494
San Jose, CA$66,611
San Francisco, CA$65,882
Oakland, CA$64,494
New York, NY$60,807
Paramus, NJ$60,067
Queens Village, NY$60,065
Passaic, NJ$60,015
Bergenfield, NJ$60,010
Stamford, CT$59,894
Huntington, NY$59,872
Newark, NJ$59,482
Bridgeport, CT$59,370
Vallejo, CA$59,265
New Brunswick, NJ$59,244
Petaluma, CA$59,212
Middlesex, NJ$59,112
Somerset, NJ$59,075
Santa Cruz, CA$59,006
Boston, MA$58,684
Monterey, CA$58,499
Seattle, WA$58,378
Santa Rosa, CA$58,367
Los Angeles, CA$58,352
Juneau, AK$58,214
Washington, DC$58,156
Orange, CA$57,968
Santa Ana, CA$57,829
Long Beach, CA$57,776
Anaheim, CA$57,765
Anchorage, AK$57,739
Santa Maria, CA$57,580
Everett, WA$57,570
Danbury, CT$57,384
Bremerton, WA$57,311
Tacoma, WA$57,121
New Suffolk, NY$57,120
Sacramento, CA$57,105
Santa Barbara, CA$57,047
Trenton, NJ$56,989
San Diego, CA$56,989
Brockton, MA$56,931
Fairbanks, AK$56,802
Lompoc, CA$56,667
Lowell, MA$56,624
Ventura, CA$56,614
Nashua, NH$56,603
Stockton, CA$56,598
Modesto, CA$56,213
Poughkeepsie, NY$56,096
Olympia, WA$55,996
Kennewick, WA$55,996
New Haven, CT$55,975
Lawrence, MA$55,785
Hartford, CT$55,732
Riverside, CA$55,722
New Bedford, MA$55,669
Richland, WA$55,669
Bakersfield, CA$55,595
San Bernardino, CA$55,574
New Britain, CT$55,568
Atlantic City, NJ$55,568
New London, CT$55,547
Norwich, CT$55,531
Portsmouth, NH$55,521
Boulder, CO$55,409
Portland, OR$55,336
Worcester, MA$55,331
Minneapolis, MN$55,167
Philadelphia, PA$55,093
Honolulu, HI$54,919
Saint Paul, MN$54,893
Vineland, NJ$54,882
Providence, RI$54,729
Chicago, IL$54,576
Bellingham, WA$54,512
Springfield, MA$54,470
Baltimore, MD$54,454
Chico, CA$54,322
Pittsfield, MA$54,179
Manchester, NH$54,079
Spokane, WA$53,847
Denver, CO$53,841
Albany, NY$53,593
Troy, NY$53,572
Nassau, NY$53,516
Schenectady, NY$53,461
Wilmington, DE$53,419
Burlington, VT$53,345
Salem, OR$53,324
Portland, ME$53,160
Yakima, WA$53,107
Rochester, MN$52,944
Reno, NV$52,917
Fresno, CA$52,917
Milwaukee, WI$52,870
Detroit, MI$52,817
Ann Arbor, MI$52,808
Allentown, PA$52,801
Colorado Springs, CO$52,711
Syracuse, NY$52,685
Carson City, NV$52,685
Houston, TX$52,611
Eugene, OR$52,585
Gary, IN$52,521
Springfield, OR$52,479
Bismarck, ND$52,468
Galveston, TX$52,431
Medford, OR$52,352
Fort Collins, CO$52,331
Concord, NH$52,305
Austin, TX$52,289
Mesa, AZ$52,178
Reading, PA$52,173
Phoenix, AZ$52,167
Dallas, TX$52,151
Saint Cloud, MN$52,101
Madison, WI$52,030
Utica, NY$51,887
Rochester, NY$51,803
Des Moines, IA$51,798
Raleigh, NC$51,792
Atlanta, GA$51,713
Battle Creek, MI$51,697
Salt Lake City, UT$51,681
Lancaster, PA$51,602
Harrisburg, PA$51,528
Kansas City, MO$51,475
Champaign, IL$51,465
Kansas City, KS$51,465
Fort Worth, TX$51,460
Columbus, OH$51,451
Boca Raton, FL$51,438
Pittsburgh, PA$51,417
Richmond, VA$51,396
Indianapolis, IN$51,386
Cleveland, OH$51,380
Las Vegas, NV$51,317
Cincinnati, OH$51,317
Petersburg, VA$51,238
Huntsville, AL$51,159
Lansing, MI$51,123
Lebanon, PA$51,116
Pueblo, CO$51,111
Appleton, WI$51,095
Buffalo, NY$51,074
Dayton, OH$51,058
Racine, WI$51,048
Charlotte, NC$51,042
Saint Louis, MO$51,027
York, PA$50,995
Elkhart, IN$50,995
Gastonia, NC$50,985
Billings, MT$50,972
Beaumont, TX$50,958
Lorain, OH$50,947
Benton Harbor, MI$50,937
Toledo, OH$50,926
Binghamton, NY$50,900
Rock Hill, SC$50,895
Rockford, IL$50,868
Springfield, IL$50,847
Elyria, OH$50,842
Fargo, ND$50,842
Flagstaff, AZ$50,805
Fort Lauderdale, FL$50,773
Duluth, MN$50,741
Miami, FL$50,741
Cheyenne, WY$50,704
Grand Forks, ND$50,704
Bangor, ME$50,588
Cedar Rapids, IA$50,530
Durham, NC$50,508
Louisville, KY$50,504
Grand Rapids, MI$50,493
Hialeah, FL$50,488
Casper, WY$50,414
Scranton, PA$50,351
New Orleans, LA$50,335
Virginia Beach, VA$50,329
Akron, OH$50,303
Peoria, IL$50,234
Sarasota, FL$50,224
Nashville, TN$50,187
Omaha, NE$50,187
Green Bay, WI$50,187
Baton Rouge, LA$50,160
Charleston, SC$50,150
Jamestown, NY$50,123
Davenport, IA$50,123
Tucson, AZ$50,097
Saint Petersburg, FL$50,065
Tampa, FL$50,055
Evansville, IN$50,023
Port Arthur, TX$50,023
Bradenton, FL$50,002
Santa Fe, NM$49,907
Orlando, FL$49,812
Clearwater, FL$49,796
Canton, OH$49,685
La Crosse, WI$49,685
Albuquerque, NM$49,653
Newport News, VA$49,648
High Point, NC$49,632
Ogden, UT$49,611
Corpus Christi, TX$49,569
Norfolk, VA$49,537
Laramie, WY$49,537
Rock Island, IL$49,506
Saginaw, MI$49,495
Jacksonville, FL$49,490
Salisbury, NC$49,479
Boise, ID$49,469
Moline, IL$49,442
Fort Myers, FL$49,426
Memphis, TN$49,416
Tulsa, OK$49,389
Waterloo, IA$49,358
Spartanburg, SC$49,305
Lincoln, NE$49,279
Fort Wayne, IN$49,268
Provo, UT$49,263
Cedar Falls, IA$49,199
San Antonio, TX$49,178
Greensboro, NC$49,157
South Bend, IN$49,152
Savannah, GA$49,094
Muskegon, MI$49,073
Birmingham, AL$49,067
Winston Salem, NC$49,041
Lake Charles, LA$48,914
Anderson, IN$48,904
Lexington, KY$48,888
Augusta, GA$48,872
Greenville, SC$48,872
Lima, OH$48,830
Wichita, KS$48,824
Tuscaloosa, AL$48,824
Columbia, SC$48,777
Springfield, OH$48,766
Asheville, NC$48,682
Bloomington, IN$48,645
Knoxville, TN$48,455
Shreveport, LA$48,449
Wilmington, NC$48,381
Roanoke, VA$48,381
Topeka, KS$48,286
Frankfort, KY$48,280
Oklahoma City, OK$48,243
Chillicothe, OH$48,222
Longview, TX$48,217
Melbourne, FL$48,212
Sioux Falls, SD$48,127
Mobile, AL$48,122
Terre Haute, IN$48,101
Altoona, PA$48,069
Amarillo, TX$48,032
Killeen, TX$48,016
Fayetteville, AR$47,974
Chattanooga, TN$47,958
Sioux City, IA$47,911
Idaho Falls, ID$47,900
Lynchburg, VA$47,858
Gainesville, FL$47,789
Portsmouth, OH$47,763
Little Rock, AR$47,752
Lafayette, LA$47,731
Youngstown, OH$47,731
Daytona Beach, FL$47,699
Clarksville, TN$47,694
Pensacola, FL$47,689
Temple, TX$47,685
Hopkinsville, KY$47,530
Erie, PA$47,520
Florence, SC$47,499
Charleston, WV$47,414
Great Falls, MT$47,388
Macon, GA$47,314
Tallahassee, FL$47,309
Fayetteville, NC$47,298
Waco, TX$47,288
Helena, MT$47,251
Pine Bluff, AR$47,230
Vincennes, IN$47,166
Lubbock, TX$47,145
Alamogordo, NM$47,113
Twin Falls, ID$47,066
Rapid City, SD$47,050
Jackson, MS$46,955
Huntington, WV$46,951
Greenville, MS$46,950
Parkersburg, WV$46,896
Montgomery, AL$46,886
Wichita Falls, TX$46,833
Springfield, MO$46,833
Biloxi, MS$46,807
Monroe, LA$46,754
Johnstown, PA$46,717
Sumter, SC$46,696
Columbus, GA$46,691
Pascagoula, MS$46,590
Abilene, TX$46,590
Kingsport, TN$46,453
Albany, GA$46,453
Gulfport, MS$46,437
Alexandria, LA$46,263
Fort Smith, AR$46,131
El Paso, TX$45,988
Las Cruces, NM$45,751
Harlingen, TX$45,617
Pocatello, ID$45,608
Florence, AL$45,539
Brownsville, TX$45,529
Mcallen, TX$45,418
Dothan, AL$45,344
Columbus, MS$45,030
Altus, OK$44,784
Lawton, OK$44,684
Pierre, SD$44,494
What Skills Can Increase a Truck Operator's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Commitment (Mentioned in 17.14% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Safety Administration (Mentioned in 2.21% Job Postings): Safety Administration it involves protecting the public from crime, disaster, and other potential threats to their safety and wellbeing.
CPR (Mentioned in 1.62% Job Postings): Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) combines rescue breathing (mouth-to-mouth) and chest compressions to temporarily pump enough blood to the brain until specialized treatment is available.
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 Truck Operator's salary.
Waste Management: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Hard Working: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Customer Satisfaction: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Truck Operator Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Truck Operator roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 90% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Internet
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average.
In contrast, Truck Operator positions in Telecom or Software & Networking typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Truck Operator as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Truck Operator
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals
$79,217
$38.0
50%
Internet
$73,936
$36.0
40%
Financial Services
$68,655
$33.0
30%
Insurance
$66,014
$32.0
25%
Energy & Utilities
$63,374
$30.0
20%
How Education impacts a Truck Operator's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Truck Operators enter the field with a No Diploma degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Truck Operator with a No Diploma is between
$51,637
and $55,371).
Truck Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Truck Operator'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.
Salaries for a Truck Operator can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $48,051 in 2023
to around $46,460 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Truck Operator salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Truck Operator Over Time
$???
$48,051
$46,966
$46,460
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$48,051
2024
$46,966
2025
$46,460
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Truck Operator
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Truck Operator
Here are companies hiring for Truck Operator and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
Find Your Next Truck Operator Job
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FAQ about Truck Operator
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Truck Operator?
The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for Truck Operator 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.
