In 1980, the average truck driver salary added up to more than $100,000 in today’s dollars. The industry has changed a lot in that time, so you may find yourself wondering just how much you can make as a truck driver these days, and the truth is, that answer can have quite a few variables, and today, we’d like to address one of those; the industry in which you work.
A recent analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics conducted by Truckinginfo.net has revealed which industries pay heavy truckers the most annually, with median wages being used as the primary determining factor in their rankings. Self-employed and contract drivers were not included in the report due to the fact that they operate a bit differently than traditional industry employees.
- Natural Gas Distribution
Transporting compressed natural gas between stations and customer locations.
Median annual wage for drivers: $61,090
Employee drivers in the industry: 200 - Communications Equipment Manufacturing
Transporting large quantities of small equipment like cell phones or larger cargos of more specialized tools such as satellites.
Median annual wage for drivers: $61,100
Employee drivers in the industry: 50 - Spectator Sports
Hauling venue supplies or other equipment needed for stadiums, arenas, and other large-capacity venues.
Median annual wage for drivers: $61,110
Employee drivers in the industry: 260 - Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories
Moving large equipment such as CTY scanners and X-ray machines as well as smaller supplies like blood tests or urinalysis materials.
Median annual wage for drivers: $61,360
Employee drivers in the industry: 90 - Couriers and express delivery services
Picking up and delivering trailers of parcels, often between service centers and local delivery sites.
Median annual wage for drivers: $62,160
Employee drivers in the industry: 52,120 - Support Activities for Water Transportation
Transporting the supplies necessary for operating dry docks or cleaning and repairing vessels.
Median annual wage for drivers: $62,890
Employee drivers in the industry: 3,890 - Coal Mining
Transporting coal around and away from excavation sites.
Median annual wage for drivers: $62,940
Employee drivers in the industry: 1,150 - Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution
Transporting equipment or raw materials such as coal, petroleum, or gas.
Median annual wage for drivers: $63,230
Employee drivers in the industry: 330 - Rail Transportation
Haul large shipping containers unloaded from freight trains to be driven to the next destination along the supply chain.
Median annual wage for drivers: $63,280
Employee drivers in the industry: 1,670 - Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation
Containers that arrive by water via shipping companies are loaded onto trucks or trains to be hauled to their next destination.
Median annual wage for drivers: $74,030
Employee drivers in the industry: 280
Source: Kion546 News Channel
