Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Salary
In Midland, MI, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn $49,380 at the median, or about $23.74 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $66K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.92), which stretches that salary to about $53,721 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,193/month, about 35.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $49K get you in Midland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Midland’s Regional Price Parity (91.92). 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 Midland
Pay for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Midland runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,193/month, which is 36.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.92 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for heavy and tractor-trailer truck driverss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in metros near Midland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $59K | $59K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $58K | $61K |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $57K | $60K |
| Kalamazoo-Portage | $56K | $59K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Midland, MI
Entry-level heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $66K or more, a $28K 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 Midland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 36.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,193/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 Midland?
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 $2,276/month. At HUD’s $1,193/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 Midland?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $49K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Midland compare to the national average for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
Midland pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.92), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — below the national median.
How much do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make in Midland, MI?
The median is $49,380 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,930, and experienced heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers can clear $66,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Midland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,301/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,193/month, which eats 36.1% 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 Midland?
Midland has a Regional Price Parity of 91.92 (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 $53,721 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.
