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Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Salary

in Nebraska

In Nebraska, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn $58,390 at the median, or about $28.07 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.05), which stretches that salary to about $64,842 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,113/month, or 29% of estimated take-home pay.

Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Nebraska. Jump to a metro for precise data:

$58K
Median annual
$28.07/hr
Hourly rate
$40K
Entry level (10th %)
$82K
Senior level (90th %)

So what does $58K get you in Nebraska?

Estimated monthly take-home$3,890/mo
Median 2BR rent-$1,113/mo
Rent as % of take-home28.6% (within guideline)
Cost-of-living adjusted salary$64,842/yr
Monthly remaining after rent$2,777/mo

About heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

Education: No formal educational credential
U.S. employed: 2,062,040
Nebraska employed: 23,160
Category: Transportation

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What this looks like in Nebraska

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers pay in Nebraska tracks closely to the national median, $58K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 0% difference. Rent runs $1,113/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.05 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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, Nebraska

Bar chart showing Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary percentiles in Nebraska: 10th percentile $40,150, 25th percentile $47,020, median $58,390, 75th percentile $75,830, 90th percentile $81,790. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.10th$40K25th$47KMedian$58K75th$76K90th$82K
Bar chart showing Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary percentiles in Nebraska: 10th percentile $40,150, 25th percentile $47,020, median $58,390, 75th percentile $75,830, 90th percentile $81,790. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Entry-level heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.

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Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary by metro in Nebraska

3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay

Metro areaMedian salaryvs. stateEmployment
Lincoln$82K+40%4,530
Grand Island$61K+4%970
Omaha$58K-1%10,210

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Track heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers salary changes

BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Nebraska numbers change.

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Frequently asked questions

Can a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver afford a 2BR apartment alone in Nebraska?

Yes — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 28.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,113/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 Nebraska?

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 $2,409/month. At HUD’s $1,113/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Nebraska?

Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $58K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 0% difference.

How does Nebraska compare to the national average for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?

Nebraska pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +0%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.05), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — still ahead of the national median.

How much do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make in Nebraska?

The median is $58,390 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,150, and experienced heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers can clear $81,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.

Is $58K enough to live in Nebraska?

On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,890/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,113/month, which eats 28.6% 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 Nebraska?

Nebraska has a Regional Price Parity of 90.05 (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 $64,842 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.

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