Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Salary
In Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn $59,100 at the median, or about $28.41 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.06), that's roughly $59,065 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,820/month, about 46.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $59K get you in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell’s Regional Price Parity (100.06). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
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What this looks like in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers pay in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell tracks closely to the national median, $59K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,820/month, which is 46.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.06) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in metros near Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Savannah | $59K | $62K |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $48K | $52K |
| Gainesville | $57K | $59K |
| Dalton | $54K | $60K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
Entry-level heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $37K spread from bottom to top.
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $70K | +20% | 3,420 |
| Washington | $65K | +10% | 40,530 |
| District of Columbia | $64K | +9% | 830 |
| New Jersey | $64K | +8% | 47,980 |
| Massachusetts | $63K | +7% | 30,890 |
| Nevada | $62K | +6% | 15,010 |
| New York | $62K | +6% | 63,700 |
| Minnesota | $62K | +6% | 38,770 |
| Oregon | $62K | +6% | 23,970 |
| Colorado | $62K | +5% | 25,350 |
| North Dakota | $61K | +4% | 11,870 |
| Vermont | $61K | +4% | 3,560 |
| Utah | $61K | +3% | 25,060 |
| Connecticut | $60K | +3% | 15,740 |
| Illinois | $60K | +3% | 84,200 |
| Wyoming | $60K | +3% | 6,050 |
| Indiana | $60K | +3% | 59,090 |
| New Hampshire | $60K | +3% | 6,960 |
| California | $60K | +3% | 205,090 |
| Rhode Island | $60K | +3% | 3,620 |
| Hawaii | $60K | +2% | 4,070 |
| Ohio | $60K | +2% | 83,060 |
| Maryland | $59K | +1% | 29,150 |
| Kansas | $59K | +0% | 24,220 |
| Montana | $59K | +0% | 7,830 |
| Idaho | $59K | +0% | 15,920 |
| South Dakota | $59K | +0% | 6,470 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -0% | 64,890 |
| Wisconsin | $59K | -0% | 53,330 |
| Pennsylvania | $59K | -0% | 87,550 |
| Nebraska | $58K | -0% | 23,160 |
| Arizona | $58K | -1% | 40,150 |
| Iowa | $58K | -1% | 35,040 |
| Delaware | $58K | -2% | 9,040 |
| Michigan | $57K | -2% | 60,800 |
| Georgia | $57K | -3% | 74,840 |
| Maine | $57K | -3% | 9,980 |
| Virginia | $57K | -3% | 48,750 |
| Kentucky | $56K | -4% | 31,760 |
| Texas | $56K | -4% | 209,680 |
| Missouri | $55K | -7% | 47,760 |
| Oklahoma | $54K | -7% | 27,840 |
| Alabama | $52K | -11% | 36,650 |
| Mississippi | $52K | -12% | 24,160 |
| Arkansas | $52K | -12% | 32,220 |
| North Carolina | $52K | -12% | 62,400 |
| South Carolina | $51K | -13% | 34,170 |
| Florida | $51K | -14% | 112,920 |
| New Mexico | $51K | -14% | 11,820 |
| West Virginia | $49K | -16% | 12,190 |
| Louisiana | $49K | -16% | 28,540 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver afford a 2BR apartment alone in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 46.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,820/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,454/month. At HUD’s $1,820/month FMR, rent would take 74% 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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $59K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell compare to the national average for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA?
The median is $59,100 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,900, and experienced heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers can clear $77,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,894/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,820/month, which eats 46.7% 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 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell has a Regional Price Parity of 100.06 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers salary is worth about $59,065 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.