# 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). May be required to unload truck. Requires commercial drivers' license. Includes tow truck drivers.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/heavy-and-tractor-trailer-truck-drivers
- SOC code: 53-3032.00
- Career family: Transportation
- Median annual pay: $58,640 (10th percentile $40,140, 90th percentile $79,380)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +3.8%
- Openings a year: 214,500
- Typical entry education: Postsecondary certificate
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RCI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 100 |
| Investigative (I) | 15 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 6 |
| Enterprising (E) | 5 |
| Conventional (C) | 52 |

## What you'd do

- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment (importance 91/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 86/100)
- Getting Information (importance 82/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 72/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 72/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 68/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 67/100)
- Performing General Physical Activities (importance 62/100)
- Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment (importance 58/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 57/100)

## 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

## 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

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Ground Transportation](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4902) (CIP 4902, 213 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Pennsylvania College of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/pennsylvania-college-of-technology-2096) | Ground Transportation | $54,938 | $62,389 | $12,000 |

## Related careers

- [Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/industrial-truck-and-tractor-operators): $46,420 median pay
- [Light Truck Drivers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/light-truck-drivers): $44,860 median pay
- [Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/tank-car-truck-and-ship-loaders): $58,870 median pay
- [Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/bus-and-truck-mechanics-and-diesel-engine-specialists): $61,770 median pay
- [Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/loading-and-moving-machine-operators-underground-mining): $74,500 median pay
- [Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/refuse-and-recyclable-material-collectors): $49,690 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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.