Truck Driver Salary Calculator

Estimate a CDL truck driver’s take-home pay after federal income tax and FICA, factor in per-mile and detention pay, and see how trucking wages compare with other trades.

Estimated net take-home (year)

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Gross annual pay—

Federal income tax—

FICA (Social Security + Medicare)—

Monthly take-home—

Effective hourly rate—

Where your truck driver salary goes

Your take-home versus federal income tax and FICA payroll tax.

Truck Driver pay vs other fields

Approximate US median annual wages by occupation (BLS 2024 basis). Your field is highlighted.

Truck Driver salary, explained

A truck driver salary is the annual pay a commercial driver (CDL holder) earns hauling freight. The median heavy and tractor-trailer driver earns about $54,000 a year, but trucking pay is unusually variable because most over-the-road drivers are paid per mile rather than by salary. A driver’s annual earnings depend on cents-per-mile rate, miles driven, home-time schedule, and accessorial pay for detention, layovers, and tarping.

Owner-operators and specialized haulers (tanker, hazmat, oversized, and team drivers) can earn well above the median, while new company drivers start lower during their first year. Because of the per-mile model, choosing dedicated versus over-the-road routes has a large effect on take-home. Use the extra-income field to add detention, bonus, and per-diem pay to a base figure and estimate your net take-home.

Truck Driver pay by experience level

Truck Driver pay is not a single number. It grows with experience, credentials, region, and employer. These approximate tiers show the typical range a truck driver can expect across a career:

Entry level (0–2 yrs): $42,000
Median / mid-career: $54,000
Experienced (senior): $68,000
Top 10% earners: $82,000

First-year CDL drivers earn the least while building a safe-driving record. Pay rises with endorsements (hazmat, tanker, doubles/triples), a clean record, and moving to higher-paying freight lanes. Owner-operators can earn much more gross but carry fuel, insurance, and maintenance costs.

The take-home formula

A salary calculator turns your gross pay into the number that actually lands in your bank account. The core formula subtracts federal income tax and FICA payroll tax from gross pay:

gross pay = base salary + extra income
taxable income = gross pay − standard deduction
federal tax = progressive brackets applied to taxable income
FICA = 6.2% Social Security (to wage cap) + 1.45% Medicare
net take-home = gross pay − federal tax − FICA

Worked example

A driver paid $0.60 per mile running 110,000 miles a year grosses about $66,000. Filing single, federal income tax is roughly $6,360 and FICA about $5,050, leaving an estimated $54,590 in take-home, or about $4,549 a month. Per-diem allowances for meals on the road can further reduce taxable income for eligible drivers.

What affects a truck driver's pay the most?

Cents per mile and miles driven: the two numbers that most directly set an OTR driver’s pay.
Endorsements: hazmat, tanker, and doubles/triples endorsements unlock higher-paying freight.
Route type: dedicated, regional, OTR, and team driving pay differently and affect home time.
Company vs owner-operator: owner-operators gross more but pay their own truck expenses.
Accessorial pay: detention, layover, stop, and tarp pay add to the base per-mile rate.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average truck driver salary?

The median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver earns about $54,000 a year, with experienced and specialized drivers earning $70,000 or more and owner-operators grossing higher.

How do I convert cents per mile to an annual salary?

Multiply your pay rate per mile by miles driven per year. At $0.60 per mile and 110,000 miles, that is about $66,000 in gross annual pay before taxes and expenses.

How much does a truck driver take home after taxes?

On a $54,000 salary, a single driver keeps roughly $45,000 after federal income tax and FICA. Per-diem meal allowances can lower taxable income further.

Do owner-operators earn more than company drivers?

They usually gross more per mile, but owner-operators pay for fuel, insurance, maintenance, and the truck itself, so net income can be similar or more variable than a company driver’s.

What is per diem for truck drivers?

Per diem is a daily meal-and-incidental allowance for time away from home. Eligible drivers can treat part of their pay as a non-taxable per-diem, lowering taxable income.

Which endorsements pay the most?

Hazmat and tanker endorsements, especially combined, tend to unlock higher-paying loads. Team driving and oversized/specialized freight also raise annual earnings.