Do You Make Good Money as a Truck Driver?

It may surprise you to learn that on any given day, there are hundreds of thousands of job openings that are going unfilled — all of them for long-haul truckers. The demand for this form of transportation continues to increase, and an exceptional driver’s salary can often rival the pay of a mid-level business executive. You can make a very solid salary starting out as a new truck driver, and there are always opportunities to boost your earning potential.

What’s the Starting Salary for Truckers?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, truck drivers earn a median annual wage of nearly $44,000 — which is over $4,000 higher than the average for all jobs in America. If that isn’t enough, the top 10% of truck drivers earn over $63,000 per year. With over 1.7 million truck drivers employed in 2017, it stands to reason that there is still a significant amount of money to be made with all of these open positions.

Increasing Your Base Salary

Once you have become certified and are employed by a trucking company, there are a variety of ways that you can improve your overall base salary. Just like with many other positions, salary increases come the longer you are employed by an organization and can go as high as $80,000 per year. You can also increase your salary by training others, which is seen as an indicator of your overall knowledge. With the number of open truck driving positions, teachers are in high demand!

Whether you’re ready to learn more about becoming a truck driver or if you just completed certification and are looking for your first position, check out M&W Transportation today. You can apply online through our easy application portal or contact a recruiter to learn more.