Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Salary
In Memphis, TN-MS-AR, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn $63,070 at the median, or about $30.32 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.18), which stretches that salary to about $68,420 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,274/month, or 29.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $63K get you in Memphis?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Memphis’s Regional Price Parity (92.18). 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 Memphis
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers pay in Memphis tracks closely to the national median, $63K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 8% difference. Rent runs $1,274/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.18 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in metros near Memphis, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $61K | $63K |
| Knoxville | $59K | $64K |
| Chattanooga | $57K | $63K |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $55K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Memphis, TN-MS-AR
Entry-level heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $96K or more, a $52K 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 Memphis?
Yes — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 29% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,274/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Memphis?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,652/month. At HUD’s $1,274/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 Memphis?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $63K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Memphis compare to the national average for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
Memphis pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.18), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make in Memphis, TN-MS-AR?
The median is $63,070 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,200, and experienced heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers can clear $96,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Memphis?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,393/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,274/month, which eats 29% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers salary go in Memphis?
Memphis has a Regional Price Parity of 92.18 (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 $68,420 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.