Typical entry: Postsecondary nondegree award
Truck driver (CDL-A)
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers move freight locally, regionally, or over the road. Pay is per mile, per load, or hourly, and schedules range from home-daily local routes to weeks on the road.
By the Degreeless Jobs research deskUpdated Sep 7, 2026Sources: BLS, O*NET
What a truck driver (CDL-A) makes
Median pay, May 2025, United States
$58,640
$28.19 an hour, median
- 25th percentile
- $47,960
- 75th percentile
- $69,120
- 90th percentile
- $79,380
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Wages of employed workers, not offers.
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- BLS
- Workers without a bachelor's
- 100%
- O*NET
- Growth, 2025 to 2035
- +3.8%
- BLS projections
- Openings a year
- 214,500
- BLS projections
How people get in without a degree
You need a Class A commercial driver's license, which requires FMCSA entry-level driver training (a theory course plus behind-the-wheel training at a registered provider), a DOT medical card, and a clean driving record. Many large carriers pay for the school in exchange for a work commitment; private CDL schools cost several thousand dollars.
The work, as O*NET defines it: 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.
The next step
FMCSA Entry-Level Driver Training (theory online, then behind-the-wheel), Class A CDL
- Typical cost
- Theory course $20 to $50 online; full private CDL school $3,000 to $10,000; carrier-paid programs are free with a contract
- Time to complete
- 3 to 7 weeks full-time
Where to start ELDT theory course (FMCSA-registered)
Costs and durations are ranges gathered from provider and state sources; confirm the current price and your state's rules before you pay anything. Never pay a fee to apply for a job.
Pay by state
Median pay for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers by state, May 2025, sorted by annual median. States without a published estimate are omitted.
| State | Hourly median | Annual median | 25th to 75th | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $33.70 | $70,100 | $60,500 to $78,060 | 3,420 |
| Washington | $31.13 | $64,760 | $59,450 to $75,530 | 40,530 |
| District of Columbia | $30.85 | $64,170 | $58,850 to $74,440 | 830 |
| New Jersey | $30.56 | $63,570 | $57,400 to $76,450 | 47,980 |
| Massachusetts | $30.30 | $63,030 | $56,320 to $72,150 | 30,890 |
| Nevada | $29.95 | $62,290 | $52,420 to $75,890 | 15,010 |
| New York | $29.83 | $62,050 | $55,550 to $74,040 | 63,700 |
| Minnesota | $29.80 | $61,990 | $50,730 to $73,700 | 38,770 |
| Oregon | $29.80 | $61,980 | $54,870 to $72,870 | 23,970 |
| Colorado | $29.57 | $61,500 | $53,490 to $70,220 | 25,350 |
| North Dakota | $29.29 | $60,910 | $52,310 to $67,110 | 11,870 |
| Vermont | $29.25 | $60,830 | $52,120 to $64,900 | 3,560 |
| Utah | $29.15 | $60,620 | $50,340 to $68,460 | 25,060 |
| Connecticut | $29.08 | $60,490 | $51,590 to $69,970 | 15,740 |
| Illinois | $29.00 | $60,320 | $48,550 to $75,600 | 84,200 |
| Wyoming | $28.99 | $60,310 | $50,450 to $73,000 | 6,050 |
| Indiana | $28.99 | $60,290 | $49,390 to $72,260 | 59,090 |
| New Hampshire | $28.98 | $60,280 | $52,380 to $65,140 | 6,960 |
| California | $28.96 | $60,230 | $48,740 to $72,330 | 205,090 |
| Rhode Island | $28.94 | $60,190 | $50,330 to $64,250 | 3,620 |
| Hawaii | $28.76 | $59,820 | $52,520 to $64,910 | 4,070 |
| Ohio | $28.75 | $59,800 | $49,260 to $71,260 | 83,060 |
| Maryland | $28.54 | $59,360 | $49,640 to $69,270 | 29,150 |
| Kansas | $28.33 | $58,920 | $48,430 to $71,080 | 24,220 |
| Montana | $28.30 | $58,870 | $50,620 to $63,660 | 7,830 |
| Idaho | $28.26 | $58,770 | $48,150 to $64,260 | 15,920 |
| South Dakota | $28.21 | $58,690 | $48,370 to $64,480 | 6,470 |
| Tennessee | $28.18 | $58,620 | $47,740 to $73,420 | 64,890 |
| Wisconsin | $28.18 | $58,610 | $49,400 to $63,870 | 53,330 |
| Pennsylvania | $28.16 | $58,580 | $49,570 to $65,830 | 87,550 |
| Nebraska | $28.07 | $58,390 | $47,020 to $75,830 | 23,160 |
| Arizona | $27.92 | $58,080 | $47,550 to $65,580 | 40,150 |
| Iowa | $27.92 | $58,070 | $48,350 to $64,190 | 35,040 |
| Delaware | $27.69 | $57,590 | $53,570 to $58,900 | 9,040 |
| Michigan | $27.49 | $57,180 | $47,600 to $62,060 | 60,800 |
| Georgia | $27.43 | $57,050 | $45,700 to $68,780 | 74,840 |
| Maine | $27.43 | $57,050 | $48,020 to $62,210 | 9,980 |
| Virginia | $27.34 | $56,860 | $46,880 to $63,200 | 48,750 |
| Kentucky | $27.09 | $56,340 | $47,810 to $70,020 | 31,760 |
| Texas | $27.06 | $56,290 | $46,680 to $64,820 | 209,680 |
| Missouri | $26.23 | $54,550 | $46,140 to $63,400 | 47,760 |
| Oklahoma | $26.16 | $54,410 | $45,710 to $70,950 | 27,840 |
| Alabama | $25.06 | $52,120 | $44,640 to $64,870 | 36,650 |
| Mississippi | $24.92 | $51,820 | $43,520 to $63,630 | 24,160 |
| Arkansas | $24.79 | $51,550 | $44,650 to $69,700 | 32,220 |
| North Carolina | $24.77 | $51,530 | $46,320 to $62,640 | 62,400 |
| South Carolina | $24.58 | $51,130 | $46,290 to $62,660 | 34,170 |
| Florida | $24.34 | $50,640 | $45,500 to $62,380 | 112,920 |
| New Mexico | $24.28 | $50,500 | $46,370 to $60,320 | 11,820 |
| West Virginia | $23.79 | $49,480 | $43,330 to $58,720 | 12,190 |
| Louisiana | $23.71 | $49,320 | $44,330 to $58,780 | 28,540 |
Questions
Do you need a degree to be a truck driver (CDL-A)?
No. BLS lists "postsecondary nondegree award" as the typical education for entry, and 100% of workers in the occupation report less than a bachelor's degree (O*NET). The usual credential is FMCSA Entry-Level Driver Training (theory online, then behind-the-wheel), Class A CDL.
How much does a truck driver (CDL-A) make?
The median pay was $58,640 a year ($28.19 an hour) in May 2025, according to BLS. The middle half earned between $47,960 and $69,120, and the top 10 percent earned more than $79,380.
How long does it take to become a truck driver (CDL-A)?
3 to 7 weeks full-time. The typical cost is theory course $20 to $50 online; full private CDL school $3,000 to $10,000; carrier-paid programs are free with a contract.
Is truck driver (CDL-A) work growing?
BLS projects employment to grow 3.8% from 2025 to 2035 with about 214,500 openings a year from growth and from workers leaving the occupation.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation code 53-3032.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 (Table 1.2).
- O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), CC BY 4.0. The share without a bachelor’s degree is our summary of O*NET’s education distribution; USDOL/ETA has not approved or endorsed it.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile