Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary · California
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Salary in California
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in California earn a median of $60,230 a year, which is $28.96 an hour. That is $1,590 above the national median of $58,640, a difference of 3 percent. The state employs 205,090.
California against the US May 2025
| Figure | California | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $60,230 | $58,640 |
| Median hourly | $28.96 | $28.19 |
| Mean annual | $62,020 | $59,710 |
| 10th percentile | $41,830 | $40,140 |
| 90th percentile | $81,960 | $79,380 |
| Employment | 205,090 | 2,062,040 |
How California compares
By median pay, California ranks 4 of the 12 states this site reports for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. Ranking is on the published median only. It says nothing about how far that salary goes once housing, state income tax and commuting are paid, and those differences between states are frequently larger than the pay gap itself.
Other states for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers May 2025
| State | Median | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $62,050 | $29.83 | 63,700 |
| Illinois | $60,320 | $29.00 | 84,200 |
| Indiana | $60,290 | $28.99 | 59,090 |
| Ohio | $59,800 | $28.75 | 83,060 |
| Tennessee | $58,620 | $28.18 | 64,890 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,580 | $28.16 | 87,550 |
| Michigan | $57,180 | $27.49 | 60,800 |
| Georgia | $57,050 | $27.43 | 74,840 |
| Texas | $56,290 | $27.06 | 209,680 |
| North Carolina | $51,530 | $24.77 | 62,400 |
| Florida | $50,640 | $24.34 | 112,920 |
Common questions
How much do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make in California?
The median salary for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in California is $60,230 a year, or $28.96 an hour. That is $1,590 above the national median of $58,640, a difference of 3 percent. California employs 205,090 of them.
Is California a good state to work as a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver?
On pay alone, California ranks 4 of the 12 states this site reports for the occupation, by median salary. Pay is only half the question though: a state with a higher median can still leave you with less once housing and taxes are counted, and this site does not adjust for cost of living.
What is the pay range for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in California?
The lowest-paid 10 percent earn $41,830 or less and the highest-paid 10 percent earn $81,960 or more. The middle half falls between $48,740 and $72,330.
Where these numbers come from
Published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release, for SOC code 53-3032 in California. Nothing on this page is interpolated or averaged by this site. See the national heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers salary page for the full picture, or how to read these figures for what the survey covers.