Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Salary
In Georgia, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn $57,050 at the median, or about $27.43 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.89), which stretches that salary to about $62,085 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,434/month, about 38.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Georgia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $57K get you in Georgia?
About heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
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What this looks like in Georgia
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers pay in Georgia tracks closely to the national median, $57K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,434/month, which is 38.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% 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, Georgia
Entry-level heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $40K spread from bottom to top.
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary by metro in Georgia
14 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $59K | +4% | 41,830 |
| Savannah | $59K | +3% | 4,410 |
| Albany | $57K | +0% | 1,190 |
| Gainesville | $57K | -0% | 2,170 |
| Athens-Clarke County | $54K | -5% | 880 |
| Dalton | $54K | -6% | 1,540 |
| Warner Robins | $51K | -11% | 490 |
| Rome | $51K | -11% | 450 |
| Macon-Bibb County | $50K | -12% | 1,100 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons | $50K | -12% | 510 |
| Hinesville | $49K | -14% | 180 |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $48K | -16% | 3,250 |
| Valdosta | $48K | -16% | 1,110 |
| Columbus | $48K | -17% | 1,180 |
Showing 1–10 of 14 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Georgia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver afford a 2BR apartment alone in Georgia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 38.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,434/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Georgia?
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 $2,289/month. At HUD’s $1,434/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Georgia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $57K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Georgia compare to the national average for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
Georgia pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make in Georgia?
The median is $57,050 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,150, and experienced heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers can clear $77,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Georgia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,766/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,434/month, which eats 38.1% 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 Georgia?
Georgia has a Regional Price Parity of 91.89 (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 $62,085 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.