Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Salary
In New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn $65,040 at the median, or about $31.27 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $93K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 112.56), so that salary is closer to $57,783 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,910/month, about 68.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $65K get you in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by New York-Newark-Jersey City’s Regional Price Parity (112.56). 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City
New York-Newark-Jersey City sits well above the national pay line for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, local pay runs about 11% higher than the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,910/month, which is 68.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 13% above the national average (BEA RPP 112.56), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in metros near New York-Newark-Jersey City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $61K | $61K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $59K | $62K |
| Syracuse | $61K | $64K |
| Rochester | $59K | $61K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
Entry-level heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $93K or more, a $42K 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 68.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,910/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 New York-Newark-Jersey City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,026/month. At HUD’s $2,910/month FMR, rent would take 96% 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City?
Local pay is 11% above the national median — $65K here vs. $59K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 13% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does New York-Newark-Jersey City compare to the national average for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
New York-Newark-Jersey City pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 112.56), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — below the national median.
How much do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ?
The median is $65,040 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,440, and experienced heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers can clear $92,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,264/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,910/month, which eats 68.2% 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City?
New York-Newark-Jersey City has a Regional Price Parity of 112.56 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers salary is worth about $57,783 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.