In 2025, trucking is still part of America’s economy and truck drivers remain key in hauling commodities nationwide. The average wages of truck drivers in the U.S. highly depend on several factors like where they are driving, type of truck, route, and their experience. The article will speak about the average wages of truck drivers by the year 2025, in addition to allowance and differences when considering various aspects.
Truck driver average salary in 2025
As of 2025, the United States average annual wage for truck drivers is approximately $94,763. This is equivalent to approximately $6,709 per month, $1,734 per week, and $359 per day. On an hourly basis, truck drivers earn an average of $31.50. These wages can also differ immensely depending on a variety of things such as the type of truck driven, areas covered, and the driver’s experience level.
Salary variations based on location
Truck drivers’ salaries vary greatly based on location within the U.S. Delaware, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, and Kentucky are some of the highest-paying states for truck drivers. Truck drivers in Delaware, for instance, have an average yearly salary of $70,901, whereas their counterparts in Mississippi earn an average of $66,365 per year. Hawaii and Alaska, on the other hand, pay less average salaries, with truck drivers earning $44,475 and $47,735, respectively.
Salary differences by trailer and freight type
The type of trailer and freight hauled also impacts a truck driver’s salary. For example, crude oil drivers are among the highest-paid, earning an average of $112,631 per year. Oversized load drivers earn about $96,532 annually, while fuel tanker drivers make around $90,798. In contrast, hotshot truck drivers and hazmat drivers earn significantly less, with average salaries of $58,947 and $57,554, respectively.
Pay based on operating arrangements
Operating arrangements, including that of an owner-operator or a lease operator, also impact revenues. Owner-operators, or owners of companies and trucks, have the highest earning among drivers with $340,7931 a year in average income. Lease operators, or individuals that rent their trucks out to firms, make $157,432 per year on average. Team truckers, or people driving in crews for faster deliveries of freight, have an annual salary of $90,312 per year.
Allowances for truck drivers
In addition to their minimum compensation, truck drivers are typically rewarded with allowances in compensation for traveling expenses. Allowances include allowances for meals in the form of per diems, which accommodate drivers’ on-road meals as well as expenses. Assuming an $80-per-day per diem and working 200 days in a calendar year, truck drivers would, in addition, receive $16,000 a year in the form of allowances. This raises their total year-round earnings from allowances and remuneration to approximately $110,763 yearly.
Trends in truck driver compensation
Recent years have witnessed new momentum on the issue of raises for truck drivers. Following a void of pay increases in late 2023 and early 2024 periods, base pay for for-hire company drivers started to pick up momentum in late 2024 and carried over to 2025. It’s one trend to illustrate larger attempts at attracting and holding onto drivers amid conditions of competition squeeze.
On average, the United States truck driver salary in 2025 is $94,763, with wide differences depending on location, trailer type, and operating model. With incentives factored in, overall pay can reach more than $110,000 per year. As the trucking business continues to change, being aware of these salary dynamics is important for existing and future drivers to succeed in the field.
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