Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

Median salary

$58,640

Average salary

$59,710

Employment

2,062,040

Projected growth

4% growth

Annual openings

237,600

Typical entry education

Postsecondary nondegree award

What Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Do

Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). May be required to unload truck. Requires commercial drivers' license. Includes tow truck drivers.

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training
Self-employed: 6.9%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 2 of 5

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Experience: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
Education: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Job training: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

Transportationimportance 4.0/5
Public Safety and Securityimportance 3.9/5
Customer and Personal Serviceimportance 3.7/5
English Languageimportance 3.6/5
Law and Governmentimportance 3.0/5
Mechanicalimportance 2.8/5
Telecommunicationsimportance 2.8/5
Education and Trainingimportance 2.8/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment5.0/5
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions4.8/5
Frequency of Decision Making4.6/5
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results4.5/5
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.4/5
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.3/5

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

Logging Equipment Operators94% skill match
Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners94% skill match
Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders93% skill match
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators93% skill match
Power Plant Operators93% skill match
Light Truck Drivers92% skill match
Pile Driver Operators92% skill match
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders92% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

Operations Monitoringimportance 3.8/5
Operation and Controlimportance 3.8/5
Troubleshootingimportance 3.0/5
Time Managementimportance 3.0/5
Equipment Maintenanceimportance 2.9/5
Repairingimportance 2.9/5
Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 2.9/5
Social Perceptivenessimportance 2.8/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

Other Software Used

3M Post-it App
ADP ezLaborManager
ALK Technologies PC*Miler
Computerized inventory tracking software
Eko
Evernote
Fog Line Software Truckn Pro
Inventory tracking software

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Dependability
Cautiousness
Attention to Detail
Integrity
Perseverance
Stress Tolerance
Self-Control

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

RealisticHigh
ConventionalMedium
InvestigativeLow
SocialLow
EnterprisingLow
ArtisticLow

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).