SOC 53-3032.00Bright outlook

    Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

    Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW).

    Median pay
    $58,640
    Growth
    +3.8%
    As fast as average
    Openings a year
    214,500
    Typical education
    Postsecondary certificate

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $40,140
    Median
    $58,640
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $79,380
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    2,062,040 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers operate large transport vehicles weighing at least 26,001 pounds. This career offers a median annual pay of $58,640, with opportunities across the country.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    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.

    Usually a high school diploma; some on-the-job training or experience.

    What the work is like

    These drivers spend their days operating large vehicles and mechanized equipment to transport goods over long distances. The work requires a strong realistic interest, meaning hands-on tasks are a primary focus. Daily activities include inspecting trucks and equipment for safety, monitoring surroundings, and identifying potential road hazards. Drivers must also communicate with supervisors, document their trips, and perform basic physical activities, which may include unloading cargo or maintaining mechanical parts.

    Success in this role relies on strong operation and control skills, as well as operations monitoring and troubleshooting. Drivers need a solid understanding of transportation systems, public safety, and traffic laws. Because they operate heavy machinery on public roads, work styles like dependability, cautiousness, attention to detail, and stress tolerance are critical. They must manage their time effectively to meet delivery schedules while adhering to federal and state safety regulations.

    How to get there

    To enter this field, individuals typically earn a postsecondary certificate. The most common college majors associated with this career are in ground transportation. While the general preparation level often involves a high school diploma combined with some on-the-job training or experience, specialized training programs are common.

    All operators of these heavy vehicles must obtain a commercial driver's license. Additionally, some states list specific licensing requirements for this work. Prospective drivers learn vehicle safety, defensive driving techniques, and the laws governing commercial transport during their training programs.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for these drivers is $58,640. The lowest 10% of earners in this field make less than $40,140, while the highest 10% earn more than $79,380.

    With 2,062,040 people employed in this occupation, the field is quite large. Employment is projected to grow by 3.8% from 2025 to 2035, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. Due to retirements and workers leaving the field, there are about 214,500 job openings projected each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    100 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    15 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    0 / 100
    Social (S)
    6 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    5 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    52 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCI. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
    91
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    86
    Getting Information
    82
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    72
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    72
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    68
    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    67
    Performing General Physical Activities
    62
    Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
    58
    Documenting/Recording Information
    57
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Operation and Control
    • Operations Monitoring
    • Monitoring
    • Critical Thinking
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Speaking
    • Time Management
    • Troubleshooting
    • Active Listening
    • Equipment Maintenance

    Knowledge

    • Transportation
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • English Language
    • Law and Government
    • Mechanical
    • Telecommunications
    • Education and Training
    • Administration and Management
    • Mathematics

    Abilities

    • Far Vision
    • Control Precision
    • Multilimb Coordination
    • Rate Control
    • Response Orientation
    • Spatial Orientation
    • Reaction Time
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Depth Perception
    • Near Vision

    Work styles

    • Dependability
    • Cautiousness
    • Attention to Detail
    • Integrity
    • Perseverance
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Self-Control
    • Self-Confidence
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Adaptability

    Also called

    Armored Truck Driver · Automotive Carrier Driver (Auto Carrier Driver) · Automotive Crane Driver (Auto Crane Driver) · Automotive Haulaway Driver (Auto Haulaway Driver) · Automotive Hauler (Auto Hauler) · Automotive Transport Driver (Auto Transport Driver) · Basket Operator · Batch Mixing Truck Driver · Bull Driver · Car Ferrier

    Career pathway

    From your interests to heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,640 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1
      Pennsylvania College of Technology

      Williamsport, PA · Ground Transportation · Associate

      1 yr after
      $54,938
      4 yrs after
      $62,389
      Median debt
      $12,000

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Truck and Bus Driver/Commercial Vehicle Operator and Instructor

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    55 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What kind of license is required for this job?

    All heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers are required to hold a commercial driver's license. Depending on the location, some states list additional specific licensing requirements for this line of work.

    What is the typical education needed to start this career?

    Most people enter this career by earning a postsecondary certificate. While a high school diploma and some on-the-job training are common, formal ground transportation programs help prepare drivers for the required licensing exams.

    How many job openings are expected each year?

    There are approximately 214,500 job openings projected each year for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. This consistent demand is driven by the need to replace workers who retire or transfer to other occupations.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.