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Career · 7 min read

How Much Do Truck Drivers Make in 2026? Real Weekly Pay + Salary Breakdown

SA Trucking driver at the wheel in a truck cab

How much does a truck driver really make in 2026? The median CDL-A truck driver salary in the U.S. is approximately $57K according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS rates show $90K+ annual earnings for the top drivers. Such a difference in how much money truck drivers make lies withing the factors influencing the final paycheck. They include route type, trailer type and pay structure. Also, the driver’s experience matters tremendously.

In this article, SA Trucking – an OTR carrier operating since 2011 across all 48 states, provides real income for each driving job, presenting the details on weekly pay, and a salary breakdown. We also provide our own rates ($0.75 CPM Dry Van, up to $5,000/week flatbed and 88% of gross revenue) as a real-world example for the real industry salary comparison. If you are interested in the driving jobs with stable loads, you can learn more about SA Trucking working conditions.

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What Is the Average Truck Driver Salary in 2026?

To answer the question of how much truck drivers make on average, we use BLS data on the median annual salary for tractor-trailer drivers, which is $58,640 (May 2025 data, latest available). It also shows top 10% annual income as above $79,380. At the same time, according to Indeed the national average is ~$95K/year (including overtime). Where does this difference in figures come from?

To understand how the median salary figure is formed, imagine a graph with all possible variations of what truck drivers make. The figure at the exact middle of this graph is the median, it means half of the drivers earn less and half earn more. The average salary accounts for overtime, per diem, bonuses, drivers’ experience and other factors, and may therefore show inflated figures.

In practice, on average truck drivers make $1,100–$1,900 weekly gross or $4,800–$7,500 monthly.

How Do Truck Drivers Get Paid? CPM, Percentage, and Hourly

Pay structure depends on the specifics of the driving job. How do truck drivers get paid:

CPM (cents per mile) is the most common for company drivers. Depending on the driver’s experience and cargo type, the typical CPM rate is $0.50–$0.85 per mile.

How much do truckers get paid weekly? With 2,500 miles a week multiplied by $0.65 CPM the trucker’s pay is $1,625 a week in gross. Still, CPM rate cannot provide a guaranteed income, because it depends on miles. And the pay may differ from carrier to carrier, as only certain companies pay for loaded and empty miles both.

Percentage of gross is more common among Flatbed drivers and Owner-Operators with their own vehicle. This way, with a $4,000 freight rate and 32% for the driver, truck driver earns$1,280 for that haul.

Hourly rate is most often used for local drivers, and is rarely used for regional and long-haul transportation. In this case, the range is $22–$32/hour.

However, the long-haul drivers often get additional payments: detention pay, layover pay, stop pay, per diem, and fuel bonuses. This significantly impacts the settlement.

How Much Do Truck Drivers Make a Week?

The job specifics and the carrier you work for affect how much CDL drivers make a week:

  • Company driver, Dry Van (OTR): $1,200–$2,000/week
  • Company driver, Flatbed (OTR): $1,500–$2,800/week
  • Regional driver: $1,100–$1,700/week
  • Local driver: $1,000–$1,500/week
  • Team drivers: $1,400–$2,200/week per driver
  • Owner-Operator: $2,000–$4,000 gross weekly (net pay after expenses is much lower).

How much truck drivers make weekly depends on various factors:

  • miles (it is common to drive 2,500-4,000 miles per week)
  • type of cargo (oversized, HAZMAT and tankers pay more)
  • detention time (it may disrupt hours and reduce the general revenue)
  • seasonal variation (during the winter months there are fewer miles to drive which results in a lower pay).

Truck Driver Pay by Type: OTR, Regional, Local, Specialized

How much do semi-truck drivers make annually? This significantly depends on the job type:

  • OTR (over the road) salary: $55,000–$90,000/year. This is a job with the highest mileage and the highest earning potential. Still, it requires 2 to 4 weeks of OTR time before home time.
  • Regional pay: $55,000–$80,000/year. Fewer miles result in a lower salary, but the driver is home weekly.
  • Local: $50,000–$75,000/year ($80K+ is the local driver income for LTL and food services). With this job, the driver gets home daily.
  • Dedicated routes: $60,000–$80,000/year. This is a job with stable routes and schedules, but few free positions.
  • Specialized freight (flatbed, oversized loads, heavy haul): $75,000–$110,000+/year. The pay is higher for the complexity of the job.

Generally, in most cases the more home time a driver gets, the lower the paycheck. Oversized and flatbed jobs provide a premium pay for skills.

Company Driver vs. Owner-Operator: Who Makes More?

How much do CDL drivers make when it comes to using a company truck or driving your own?

  • Company driver’s gross paycheck is $55,000–$90,000 annually. The company covers the truck expenses, insurance, fuel, and maintenance. The driver is paid either per mile (CPM) or a percentage of the load.
  • Owner-Operator (OO) makes $200,000–$350,000 a year in gross revenue. However, their operating expenses are substantial too: fuel costs ($60K–$80K), insurance ($12K–$20K), maintenance ($15K–$25K), truck payments ($18K–$30K/year), permits, IFTA, and ELD costs take away a significant portion of the initial earnings. The net is $80,000–$160,000 before the self-employment tax.

How much does a truck driver get paid as an independent 1099 contractor vs. W-2 employee? Most company drivers work as 1099 contractors. This means, the company doesn’t provide health insurance, 401(k), or paid time off (PTO). W-2 positions include a benefits package, but are less common.

Thus, Owner-Operators have a higher gross income, but the gap narrows significantly after accounting for expenses. Company driver roles offer more stability, while Owner-Operator roles offer greater potential provided the carrier business is managed well.

How Much Do Truck Drivers Make Per Hour and Per Month?

Reviewing how much a truck driver makes per month shows that the job may really be worth your time and effort:

  • Hourly equivalent: if a driver’s annual salary is $70,000/year and works ~60 on-duty hours a week (including driving, waiting time, and loading), that makes ~$22/hour. With a 70-hour week the effective rate drops to ~$19/hour because the same pay is spread over more hours.
  • BLS hourly: the median is ~$27.60/hour.
  • Monthly income: $4,500–$7,500 for company drivers; $6,000–$12,000 gross for Owner-Operators (before expenses).

Important: the “hourly rate” for truck drivers is only a theoretical metric. Most are paid per mile or per load, so the actual “hourly” rate depends on how many hours a driver spends waiting for loading or unloading, and the miles pay structure (whether the carrier pays for loaded miles only or for both loaded and empty miles).

What Does SA Trucking Pay Its Drivers?

SA Trucking Inc. is an OTR carrier based in Illinois operating since 2011. The company conducts Dry Van and Flatbed freights across 48 states.

To understand how much truckers make and to see how this works in practice, compare your expectations or past pay with SA Trucking Inc. rates:

  • Company Driver, Dry Van: $0.75 CPM. At 3,000–4,000 miles a week, that comes to $2,250–$3,000 a week gross.
  • Company Driver, Flatbed: 32% of gross revenue. This works out to $3,000–$5,000 weekly settlement.
  • Owner-Operator: the company takes 12 percent fee of the gross, and the driver receives 88 percent for each load. With the full rate transparency, the Owner-Operator sees the actual payment for every load.
  • All miles are paid, both loaded and empty.
  • Payouts are made every Thursday via direct deposit.
  • Bonuses: $1,000 referral bonus; DOT inspection bonuses ($100/$200/$300 for Level3/2/1 clean inspections).
  • Status: 1099 (our drivers work as independent contractors).
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FAQ

How much do truck drivers make on average?

Although the BLS median shows $57,440 yearly, it doesn’t reflect differences between long-haul, regional and local work or pay models – for example, cents per mile or percentage of gross revenue. So, while the number on how much truck drivers make on average is realistic, the paycheck of the experienced drivers is noticeably higher, averaging $70K–$90K.

How much do CDL drivers make a week?

Weekly ranges depend on the driving job. For example, for a company Dry Van driver paid for loaded miles only it is approximately $1,200–$2,000, but an experienced driver can find a company paying for both loaded and empty miles. This way, the answer for how much CDL drivers make a week will be up to $3,000 weekly. Flatbed requires more skills and experience, and averages $1,500–$2,800. For Owner-Operators with their own trucks the gross revenue pay ranges from $2,000–$4,000 weekly.

How much does a truck driver make an hour?

The BLS median is ~$27.60/hour, time is the issue for drivers paid by the mile. Effective rate lowers for the drivers paid per mile because of the waiting time especially in congested areas such as NYC or California. That’s why $19–$22 hourly pay is more realistic, and this is how much an average per-mile truck driver makes an hour.

How much do semi-truck drivers make per year?

OTR semi-truck drivers make $55,000–$90,000 a year, depending on their experience and mileage. The mileage can be paid either for loaded miles only or for both loaded and empty miles, which affects the final annual number. How much money do specialized truckers make a year? Flatbed and oversized truck drivers usually earn more averaging $75,000–$110,000+ annually.

How much do Owner-Operators actually take home?

Often the number of how much a truck driver with their own truck gets paid depends on the experience, the mileage and the carrier paying rates. Gross revenue is $200K–$350K, but the driver has to expect a net income closer to $80K–$160K due to the operating expenses. They usually include truck insurance and maintenance, truck payments and ELD, registration and IFTA, fuel and tolls.

Do truck drivers get paid for empty miles?

Whether you are paid for all miles significantly affects how much the truckers get paid. Empty miles pay depends on the carrier, and some companies only pay for the loaded miles on the job. This approach doesn’t take into account the deadhead miles or the drive to the terminal. SA Trucking values the time of the drivers and covers all miles, loaded and empty.

Owner-operator truck driving beside a lake at sunset

Discover job opportunities at SA Trucking

If you’re looking for stable loads with all miles paid, full rate transparency and respect for the drivers, discover job opportunities at SA Trucking. Apply now to get your first load within days.

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