How Much Do Truck Drivers Make? 10 Highest-Paying Trucking Jobs

Wayne Schooling • Nov 16, 2023

If you are debating a career change, have a clean driving record and enjoy life on the open road, you may be delighted to find out what some trucking companies are paying long-haul truck drivers to transport goods across the United States. Whether you have years of experience or want to get started with truck driving school, this could be a high-paying career path for you.

10 Highest-Paying Truck Driver Salaries

The trucking industry isn’t just made up of one type of experienced driver. In fact, there are many different types of trucking gigs where the driver’s pay is an above-average salary. Get ready to hitch up some tractor-trailers and research truck driving companies as here are some of the best-paid truck driver jobs today based on annual salary:

1. Hazmat Drivers

Average truck driver salary: $70,475 to $85,000

This type of driving isn’t for the faint of heart as you would be responsible for transporting hazardous and dangerous things. These could be explosives, flammables, corrosives or poisonous materials. You do have to have a Hazmat endorsement to ensure you can transport this material both safely and legally.

2. Ice Road Drivers

Average truck driver salary: $66,917 to $120,000

As this is seasonal work, annual salaries aren’t as regular but ice road drivers tend to make around $30,000 to $40,000 in three months. So, if you can find a way to extend your season or freelance out your specialty to places with colder climates, you could make a good living throughout the year. Though you must be over 21 years old, this has become a popular choice recently due to the History Channel show, “Ice Road Truckers.”

3. Mining Industry Drivers

Average truck driver salary: $62,868 to $108,160

This job is a bit more specific as mining industry drivers haul products on giant dump trucks throughout quarry and mining operations. As part of the industrial industry, these drivers are expected to be highly skilled and productive while operating safely in tighter or smaller spaces than the open road.

4. Oversized Load Drivers

Average truck driver salary: $45,000 to $71,091

The difference between regular truck driving and hauling an oversized load is essentially the size of your cargo. It takes skill to maneuver loads pushing over 8.5 feet wide. Anything over 12 feet wide may even require two people to operate the shipment.

5. Owner Operators

Average truck driver salary: $140,000 to $323,870

Though you do have high earning potential when you own a truck and negotiate your own deals, you are also responsible for all of the expenses associated with delivering goods. As with many jobs, with more responsibility and accountability comes more pay and profit. Once your bills and overhead are taken care of you can set your own salary.

6. Private Fleet Drivers

Average truck driver salary: $37,100 to $110,000

A private fleet driver works for chains, big retailers or regional stores shipping with an in-house team of trucks. They are used to transport the store’s goods to warehouses, other stores or directly to customers. You can find jobs like this at big box stores such as Walmart or more independent contractors like regional or local grocery stores such as H-E-B.

7. Regional Truck Drivers

Average truck driver salary: $38,220 to $71,882

Regional truck drivers typically drive within a 1,000-mile radius of where the trucker primarily operates. This means you as the driver would cover in or around a few states. This position’s pay will vary depending on your location and the truck driving company for which you work.

8. Specialty Vehicle Haulers

Average truck driver salary: $48,379 to $79,574

Specialty vehicles can refer to anything from specialty cars, classic cars, luxury brands and exotic sports cars. The owners of these vehicles typically don’t want a lot of miles put on them so they have them hauled from location to location.

9. Team Truck Drivers

Average truck driver salary: $101,079 to $119,464

Team drivers can haul their cargo faster as it typically is a two-driver team where one person drives while the other sleeps. This means instead of a truck delivering goods from coast to coast taking six days, the shipment can get there in three. As this partnership style of driving improves efficiency, companies often compensate better for it.

10. Tanker Drivers

Average truck driver salary: $90,894

Liquid or tanker drivers have their own specialty based on the physics and science it takes to haul large amounts of liquid and containers. This does not necessarily include hazmat materials, but just the sheer volume of the load being hauled can be problematic when the driver is forced to take a sharp corner or suddenly slam on the brakes. However, often the liquid material is highly flammable such as gasoline or propane and therefore every precaution should be taken.

Final Take To GO: How You Can Become a Truck Driver

If the salaries of some of these truck driving positions are enticing to you and you are over the age of 21, there are some steps you can take to start this new career path:

Join a trucking association to gain the knowledge of keeping up with all the regulations
Get Entry-Level Driver Training - In general, the cost of ELDT can range from a few hundred dollars to over a thousand dollars, depending on the specific program and the resources and training that are included. It is important to carefully research and compare different ELDT programs in order to find the one that best meets your needs and budget.
Earn your Class A or Class B CDL and add endorsements.

FAQ

Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding truck driver salaries.

How can a truck driver make $100,000 a year?
Truck driving salaries will vary depending on location, experience and the company you work for, however, there are many truck drivers making $100,000 a year such as:
Ice road drivers
Mining industry drivers
Oversized load drivers
Owner operator
Team truck drivers
Tanker drivers
What is the average salary for a truck driver in the United States?
Some sources have the average national salary for truck drivers to be over $80,000, but there are many different types and degrees of truck driving. For example, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, here are some general average salaries for truck drivers:
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers: $49,920
Delivery truck drivers: $38,220