Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Salary
In Alabama, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn $52,120 at the median, or about $25.06 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $58,986 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,085/month, about 31.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $52K get you in Alabama?
About heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
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What this looks like in Alabama
Pay for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Alabama runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $59K. Rent runs $1,085/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $39K spread from bottom to top.
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary by metro in Alabama
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dothan | $62K | +19% | 1,640 |
| Decatur | $59K | +14% | 1,420 |
| Huntsville | $57K | +9% | 2,570 |
| Montgomery | $55K | +5% | 2,540 |
| Birmingham | $54K | +4% | 9,170 |
| Gadsden | $54K | +4% | 540 |
| Mobile | $51K | -2% | 3,510 |
| Anniston-Oxford | $51K | -3% | 680 |
| Tuscaloosa | $50K | -4% | 1,440 |
| Auburn-Opelika | $49K | -6% | 1,090 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals | $48K | -8% | 830 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $48K | -9% | 990 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 31.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,294/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver a high-paying job in Alabama?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $52K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
Alabama pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make in Alabama?
The median is $52,120 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,240, and experienced heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers can clear $77,620. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,456/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 31.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers salary is worth about $58,986 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.