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Salary comparison

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers vs. Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand: Who Earns More?

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driverss out-earn Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hands by $18K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driverss land at $58,640 and Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hands at $40,240. The education gap is real: heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver programs typically require no formal educational credential, while laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand programs require no formal educational credential. Top-paying state for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driverss is Alaska ($70,100); for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hands it's Minnesota ($46,280).

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
Median salary
$58,640
$40,240
Hourly rate
$28.19/hr
$19.35/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$40,140
$31,270
Senior level (90th %)
$79,380
$55,140
Education required
No formal educational credential
No formal educational credential
U.S. employment
2,062,040
2,950,280
Job growth (10-year)
4%
N/A
Category
Transportation
Transportation
Top-paying state
Alaska
Minnesota

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers median pay.

State
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
Alaska
$70,100
$44,510
Washington
$64,760
$46,190
District of Columbia
$64,170
$45,740
Massachusetts
$63,030
$44,920
New York
$62,050
$44,630
Minnesota
$61,990
$46,280
Oregon
$61,980
$44,750
Colorado
$61,500
$45,370
North Dakota
$60,910
$45,690
Connecticut
$60,490
$43,640
California
$60,230
$44,710
Hawaii
$59,820
$44,120
Montana
$58,870
$43,840
Wisconsin
$58,610
$44,610
Arizona
$58,080
$44,290

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driverss or Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hands?

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driverss earn more nationally. The median is $58,640 for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driverss versus $40,240 for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hands, a difference of $18K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers or Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers or Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand?

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers typically requires no formal educational credential. Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand requires no formal educational credential. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driverss get paid the most?

Alaska is the top-paying state for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driverss at $70,100/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers vs. Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Alaska, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driverss earn $70,100 vs. $44,510 for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hands. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary breakdownView →Full Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand salary breakdownView →Best cities for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driverss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hands by take-home payExplore →How to become a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driversGuide →How to become a laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, handGuide →