Occupational Employment Statistics

DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA

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53-3032 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

Occupational Description:
Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,000 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). May be required to unload truck. Requires commercial drivers' license.

Occupational Employment Statistics(OES) Wage Data
First Quarter 2026

Geography	Employment	Emp SE*	Percentiles
Geography	Employment	Emp SE*	Mean	10th	25th	Median	75th	90th
Minnesota	38,770	1,008	$31.26/hr	$22.55/hr	$24.92/hr	$30.45/hr	$36.21/hr	$40.20/hr
U S	2,062,040	10,310	$29.34/hr	$19.72/hr	$23.56/hr	$28.81/hr	$33.96/hr	$39.01/hr

Leading Industries for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

Industry	OES Employment (Statewide)	OES Median Wage (Statewide)
Natural Resources and Mining	880	$29.68/hr
Construction	3,340	$31.84/hr
Manufacturing	3,910	$28.69/hr
Trade, Transportation and Utilities	28,040	$30.50/hr
Financial Activities	270	$30.18/hr
Professional and Business Services	1,940	$31.10/hr
Education and Health Services	30	$26.29/hr
Leisure and Hospitality	N/A	N/A
Other Services	270	$29.86/hr
Public Administration	60	$27.73/hr

Other Regional Data for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

Geography	Employment	Median Wage	Projections % Change 2022-2032
Northeast Balance of State	640	$28.54/hr	N/A
Mankato-North Mankato MN MSA	740	$29.51/hr	N/A
Grand Forks ND-MN MSA	1,100	$29.16/hr	N/A
Rochester MN MSA	1,260	$30.55/hr	N/A
Northeast Minnesota	1,740	$29.68/hr	2.9%
Duluth MN-WI MSA	2,050	$29.95/hr	N/A
La Crosse WI-MN MSA	2,100	$29.62/hr	N/A
St Cloud MN MSA	2,140	$30.44/hr	N/A
Northwest Balance of State	3,230	$28.88/hr	N/A
Southwest Balance of State	3,440	$27.87/hr	N/A
Southeast Balance of State	3,450	$28.58/hr	N/A
Fargo ND-MN MSA	3,570	$28.94/hr	N/A
Northwest Minnesota	3,880	$28.86/hr	5.0%
Southeast Minnesota	4,090	$29.20/hr	4.9%
Southwest Minnesota	4,260	$28.78/hr	3.9%
Central Minnesota	5,630	$30.46/hr	7.6%
Seven County Mpls-St Paul, MN	17,300	$31.63/hr	5.9%
Minneapolis-St Paul-Bloomington MN-WI MSA	20,430	$31.55/hr	N/A
Minnesota	38,770	$30.45/hr	5.8%

Related Occupations

Occupations	Employment	Median Wage	Projections % Change -
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers	N/A	N/A	N/A
Light Truck Drivers	17,360	$24.01/hr	9.1%
Rail Yard Engineers, Donkey Operators, and Hostlers	N/A	N/A	N/A
Locomotive Engineers	990	$46.04/hr	2.8%
Subway and Streetcar Operators	140	$32.14/hr	8.1%
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators	8,590	$39.07/hr	9.9%
Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners	240	$30.71/hr	11.8%
Crane and Tower Operators	370	$39.76/hr	3.7%

Task for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers

Check vehicles to ensure that mechanical, safety, and emergency equipment is in good working order.
Perform basic vehicle maintenance tasks, such as adding oil, fuel, or radiator fluid or performing minor repairs.
Maintain logs of working hours or of vehicle service or repair status, following applicable state and federal regulations.
Drive trucks with capacities greater than 3 tons, including tractor-trailer combinations, to transport and deliver products, livestock, or other materials.
Report vehicle defects, accidents, traffic violations, or damage to the vehicles.
Plan or adjust routes based on changing conditions, using computer equipment, global positioning systems (GPS) equipment, or other navigation devices, to minimize fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
Inventory and inspect goods to be moved to determine quantities and conditions.
Collect delivery instructions from appropriate sources, verifying instructions and routes.
Follow special cargo-related procedures, such as checking refrigeration systems for frozen foods or providing food or water for livestock.
Operate equipment, such as truck cab computers, CB radios, phones, or global positioning systems (GPS) equipment to exchange necessary information with bases, supervisors, or other drivers.