Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Salary
In Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn $62,300 at the median, or about $29.95 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $88K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $60,141 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 43.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $62K get you in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin’s Regional Price Parity (103.59). 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers pay in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin tracks closely to the national median, $62K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,781/month, which is 43.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.59) 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Peoria | $50K | $54K |
| Rockford | $60K | $65K |
| Bloomington | $55K | $58K |
| Decatur | $59K | $67K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Entry-level heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $88K or more, a $47K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chicago-Naperville-Elgin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 43.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,781/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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
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 $2,478/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 72% 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $62K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $62,300 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,300, and experienced heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers can clear $88,230. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,084/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 43.6% 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has a Regional Price Parity of 103.59 (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 $60,141 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.