Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Salary
In Johnson City, TN, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn $47,670 at the median, or about $22.92 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $68K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.93), which stretches that salary to about $54,214 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,132/month, about 33% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Johnson City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Johnson City’s Regional Price Parity (87.93). 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 Johnson City
Pay for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Johnson City runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $59K. Rent runs $1,132/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.93 (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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in metros near Johnson City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis | $63K | $68K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $61K | $63K |
| Knoxville | $59K | $64K |
| Chattanooga | $57K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Johnson City, TN
Entry-level heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $68K or more, a $32K 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 Johnson City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 33.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,132/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 Johnson City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,181/month. At HUD’s $1,132/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Johnson City?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $48K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Johnson City compare to the national average for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
Johnson City pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.93), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — below the national median.
How much do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make in Johnson City, TN?
The median is $47,670 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,350, and experienced heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers can clear $68,010. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Johnson City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,362/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,132/month, which eats 33.7% 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 Johnson City?
Johnson City has a Regional Price Parity of 87.93 (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 $54,214 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.