Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Salary
In Michigan, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn $57,180 at the median, or about $27.49 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.89), which stretches that salary to about $60,901 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,272/month, about 33.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Michigan. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $57K get you in Michigan?
About heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
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What this looks like in Michigan
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers pay in Michigan tracks closely to the national median, $57K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,272/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Michigan
Entry-level heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary by metro in Michigan
15 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor | $59K | +4% | 1,270 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $59K | +3% | 25,780 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $58K | +2% | 10,820 |
| Traverse City | $58K | +1% | 740 |
| Bay City | $57K | +0% | 510 |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $57K | -1% | 2,820 |
| Battle Creek | $56K | -2% | 720 |
| Jackson | $56K | -2% | 630 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage | $56K | -2% | 1,580 |
| Monroe | $55K | -5% | 1,090 |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores | $51K | -12% | 720 |
| Flint | $50K | -12% | 1,320 |
| Saginaw | $50K | -12% | 1,170 |
| Midland | $49K | -14% | 280 |
| Niles | $49K | -15% | 640 |
Showing 1–10 of 15 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Michigan numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver afford a 2BR apartment alone in Michigan?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 33.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/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 Michigan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,417/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Michigan?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $57K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Michigan compare to the national average for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
Michigan pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make in Michigan?
The median is $57,180 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,280, and experienced heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers can clear $73,980. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Michigan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,796/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 33.5% 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 Michigan?
Michigan has a Regional Price Parity of 93.89 (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 $60,901 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.