Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Salary
In West Virginia, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn $49,480 at the median, or about $23.79 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $72K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.03), which stretches that salary to about $55,577 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,008/month, or 29.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across West Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $49K actually covers in West Virginia, month by month
About heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
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What this looks like in West Virginia
Pay for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in West Virginia runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $59K. Rent runs $1,008/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.03 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, West Virginia
Entry-level heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $72K or more, a $36K spread from bottom to top.
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary by metro in West Virginia
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeling | $58K | +16% | 1,210 |
| Weirton-Steubenville | $55K | +11% | 730 |
| Beckley | $51K | +4% | 880 |
| Huntington-Ashland | $50K | +1% | 2,330 |
| Charleston | $50K | +0% | 1,430 |
| Morgantown | $49K | -2% | 700 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna | $47K | -5% | 540 |
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver afford a 2BR apartment alone in West Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 30.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,008/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 West Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,511/month. At HUD’s $1,008/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 West Virginia?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $49K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does West Virginia compare to the national average for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
West Virginia pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.03), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — below the national median.
How much do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make in West Virginia?
The median is $49,480 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,350, and experienced heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers can clear $72,230. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in West Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,342/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,008/month, which eats 30.2% 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 West Virginia?
West Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 89.03 (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 $55,577 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.