Heavy truck driver demographics and statistics in the US
Heavy truck driver demographics research summary. Zippia estimates heavy truck driver demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our heavy truck driver estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about heavy truck drivers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 998,663 heavy truck drivers currently employed in the United States.
- 5.9% of all heavy truck drivers are women, while 94.1% are men.
- The average heavy truck driver age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of heavy truck drivers is White (57.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (20.8%), Black or African American (12.6%) and Unknown (4.8%).
- Heavy truck drivers are most in-demand in Toledo, OH.
- Bakersfield, CA pays an annual average wage of $68,921, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women heavy truck drivers earned 90% of what men earned.
- Wyoming is the best state for heavy truck drivers to live.
- Heavy truck drivers are 63% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Heavy truck driver demographics by:
Heavy truck driver gender statistics
5.9% of heavy truck drivers are women and 94.1% of heavy truck drivers are men.
- Male, 94.1%
- Female, 5.9%
Heavy truck driver gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 94.1% |
| Female | 5.9% |
Heavy truck driver gender pay gap
Women earn 90¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$53,065
Female income
$47,947
Heavy truck driver gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in heavy truck driver positions over time. Currently, 5.9% of heavy truck drivers are female.
Heavy truck driver gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 95.70% | 4.30% |
| 2011 | 95.56% | 4.44% |
| 2012 | 95.17% | 4.83% |
| 2013 | 94.98% | 5.02% |
| 2014 | 94.79% | 5.21% |
| 2015 | 94.86% | 5.14% |
| 2016 | 94.69% | 5.31% |
| 2017 | 94.58% | 5.42% |
| 2018 | 93.93% | 6.07% |
| 2019 | 94.05% | 5.95% |
| 2020 | 94.16% | 5.84% |
| 2021 | 94.11% | 5.89% |
Heavy truck driver related jobs gender ratio
We compared heavy truck drivers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, diesel truck driver and tank wagon driver have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Bus Matron | 11% | 89% |
| Bus Escort | 18% | 82% |
| Bus Monitor | 19% | 81% |
| Heavy Truck Driver | 94% | 6% |
| Wrecker Operator | 99% | 1% |
| Tank Wagon Driver | 99% | 1% |
| Diesel Truck Driver | 100% | 0% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Heavy truck driver demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among heavy truck drivers is White, which makes up 57.1% of all heavy truck drivers. Comparatively, 20.8% of heavy truck drivers are Hispanic or Latino and 12.6% of heavy truck drivers are Black or African American.
- White, 57.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 20.8%
- Black or African American, 12.6%
- Unknown, 4.8%
- Asian, 3.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Heavy truck driver race
| Heavy truck driver race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 57.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.8% |
| Black or African American | 12.6% |
| Unknown | 4.8% |
| Asian | 3.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Heavy truck driver race and ethnicity over time
See how heavy truck driver racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Heavy truck driver race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.07% | 11.34% | 2.73% | 17.13% |
| 2011 | 65.71% | 11.72% | 2.75% | 17.02% |
| 2012 | 64.99% | 11.87% | 2.90% | 17.36% |
| 2013 | 65.08% | 11.41% | 2.81% | 17.88% |
| 2014 | 64.80% | 11.85% | 3.00% | 17.53% |
| 2015 | 63.89% | 12.19% | 3.04% | 17.99% |
| 2016 | 63.10% | 11.82% | 3.13% | 18.86% |
| 2017 | 62.89% | 11.95% | 3.16% | 19.03% |
| 2018 | 62.40% | 11.99% | 3.46% | 19.04% |
| 2019 | 62.78% | 11.96% | 3.28% | 18.94% |
| 2020 | 60.00% | 11.94% | 3.51% | 19.23% |
| 2021 | 57.05% | 12.63% | 3.86% | 20.84% |
Heavy truck driver wage gap by race
According to our data, white heavy truck drivers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian heavy truck drivers have the lowest average salary at $52,681.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $53,167 |
| White | $53,571 |
| Black or African American | $52,845 |
| Asian | $52,681 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $53,068 |
Average heavy truck driver age
See how the average age of heavy truck drivers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Heavy truck driver age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 49 | 44 |
| Unknown | 46 | 39.5 |
| Asian | 46 | 43 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 45 | 43 |
| White | 51 | 48 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 49.5 | 47 |
Heavy truck driver age breakdown
The average age of heavy truck drivers is 40+ years years old, representing 72% of the heavy truck driver population.
Heavy truck driver age breakdown
| Heavy Truck Driver Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 72% |
| 30-40 years | 19% |
| 20-30 years | 9% |
Heavy truck driver educational attainment
The most common degree for heavy truck drivers is high school diploma, with 41% of heavy truck drivers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 24% and associate degree degree at 15%.
- High School Diploma, 41%
- Associate, 24%
- Bachelor's, 15%
- Diploma, 11%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Heavy truck drivers by degree level
| Heavy truck driver degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 41% |
| Associate | 24% |
| Bachelor's | 15% |
| Diploma | 11% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Heavy truck driver jobs you might like
Heavy truck driver wage gap by degree level
According to the data, heavy truck drivers with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $55,586 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, heavy truck drivers earn a median annual income of $55,040 compared to $54,607 for heavy truck drivers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $50,367 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $54,607 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $55,040 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $55,586 |
Heavy truck driver employment statistics
Most heavy truck drivers work for a private in the transportation industry.
Company size where heavy truck drivers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where heavy truck drivers work.
Heavy truck driver jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 7% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 14% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 20% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 21% |
Heavy truck driver jobs by company type
Employees with the heavy truck driver job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most heavy truck drivers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Heavy truck driver jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 26% |
| Private | 63% |
| Government | 9% |
Heavy truck driver jobs by industry
The most common industries for heavy truck drivers are transportation, manufacturing and professional.
Heavy truck driver industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Transportation | 21% |
| Manufacturing | 11% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Government | 8% |
| Construction | 8% |
| Technology | 8% |
| Fortune 500 | 8% |
| Retail | 4% |
| Energy | 4% |
| Finance | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
Heavy truck driver turnover and employment statistics
Heavy truck driver unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for heavy truck drivers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Heavy truck driver unemployment rate by year
| Year | Heavy truck driver unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 10.33% |
| 2011 | 8.73% |
| 2012 | 7.76% |
| 2013 | 6.88% |
| 2014 | 5.54% |
| 2015 | 4.98% |
| 2016 | 4.17% |
| 2017 | 4.08% |
| 2018 | 3.68% |
| 2019 | 3.45% |
| 2020 | 5.26% |
| 2021 | 5.44% |
Average heavy truck driver tenure
The average heavy truck driver stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,970 heavy truck drivers resumes in Zippia's database.
Heavy truck driver tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 23% |
| 1-2 years | 33% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Heavy truck driver LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of heavy truck drivers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Street Cleaning Equipment Operator | 1.73% | 49,524 |
| Heavy Truck Driver | 3.95% | - |
| Cab Driver | 6.17% | 318,105 |
| Motor Bus Driver | 8.69% | 8,417 |
| Bus Assistant | 8.77% | 7,036 |
Similar heavy truck driver jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Street Cleaning Equipment Operator | 1.73% | 49,524 |
| Cab Driver | 6.17% | 318,105 |
| Motor Bus Driver | 8.69% | 8,417 |
| Bus Assistant | 8.77% | 7,036 |
Foreign languages spoken by heavy truck drivers
The most common foreign language among heavy truck drivers is Spanish at 37.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is German at 11.1% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 11.1%.
- Spanish, 37.0%
- German, 11.1%
- Arabic, 11.1%
- Carrier, 7.4%
- Hindi, 7.4%
- Other, 26.0%
Heavy truck driver languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 37.0% |
| German | 11.1% |
| Arabic | 11.1% |
| Carrier | 7.4% |
| Hindi | 7.4% |
| Other | 26.0% |
