Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Salary
In Washington, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn $64,760 at the median, or about $31.13 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $88K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.01), that's roughly $63,484 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,830/month, about 40.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Washington. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $65K get you in Washington?
About heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
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What this looks like in Washington
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers pay in Washington tracks closely to the national median, $65K locally vs. $59K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,830/month, which is 40.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.01) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington
Entry-level heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $88K or more, a $37K spread from bottom to top.
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary by metro in Washington
11 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $71K | +10% | 21,230 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $63K | -3% | 1,210 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $63K | -3% | 3,890 |
| Longview-Kelso | $63K | -3% | 770 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard | $63K | -3% | 430 |
| Kennewick-Richland | $63K | -3% | 2,100 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes | $62K | -4% | 670 |
| Bellingham | $62K | -4% | 1,200 |
| Walla Walla | $60K | -7% | 270 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee | $58K | -10% | 530 |
| Yakima | $57K | -12% | 1,580 |
Showing 1–10 of 11 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Washington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 40.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,830/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 Washington?
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 $3,001/month. At HUD’s $1,830/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Washington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $65K locally vs. $59K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Washington compare to the national average for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
Washington pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.01), the purchasing-power equivalent is $63K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make in Washington?
The median is $64,760 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,010, and experienced heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers can clear $87,500. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Washington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,495/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,830/month, which eats 40.7% 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 Washington?
Washington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.01 (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 $63,484 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.