Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for professional truck drivers in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- There are over 689,930 professional truck drivers currently employed in the United States.
- 15.7% of all professional truck drivers are women, while 84.3% are men.
- The average age of an employed professional truck driver is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of professional truck drivers is White (58.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.9%), Black or African American (14.4%) and Unknown (4.7%).
- In 2021, women earned 90% of what men earned.
- 4% of all professional truck drivers are LGBT.
- Professional truck drivers are 79% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
Professional Truck Driver Statistics By Gender
15.7% of professional truck drivers are women and 84.3% of professional truck drivers are men.
- Male, 84.3%
- Female, 15.7%
Professional Truck Drivers By Gender
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 84.3% |
| Female | 15.7% |
Gender Pay Gap For Professional Truck Driver
Women Earn 90ยข For Every $1 Earned By Men
Professional Truck Driver Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the professional truck driver position over time.
Professional Truck Driver Gender By Year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 88.21% | 11.79% |
| 2011 | 87.87% | 12.13% |
| 2012 | 86.88% | 13.12% |
| 2013 | 86.41% | 13.59% |
| 2014 | 85.95% | 14.05% |
| 2015 | 86.11% | 13.89% |
| 2016 | 85.70% | 14.30% |
| 2017 | 85.44% | 14.56% |
| 2018 | 83.89% | 16.11% |
| 2019 | 84.16% | 15.84% |
| 2020 | 84.43% | 15.57% |
| 2021 | 84.31% | 15.69% |
Professional Truck Driver Male to Female Ratio
We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, diesel truck driver and tank wagon driver have the biggest difference in gender.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Bus Matron | 11% | 89% |
| Bus Escort | 18% | 82% |
| Bus Monitor | 19% | 81% |
| Professional Truck Driver | 84% | 16% |
| Wrecker Operator | 99% | 1% |
| Tank Wagon Driver | 99% | 1% |
| Diesel Truck Driver | 100% | 0% |
Professional Truck Driver Statistics By Race
The most common ethnicity among professional truck drivers is White, which makes up 58.5% of all professional truck drivers. Comparatively, there are 17.9% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 14.4% of the Black or African American ethnicity.
- White, 58.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.9%
- Black or African American, 14.4%
- Unknown, 4.7%
- Asian, 3.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Professional Truck Driver Race
| Professional Truck Driver Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 58.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.9% |
| Black or African American | 14.4% |
| Unknown | 4.7% |
| Asian | 3.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Professional Truck Driver Race And Ethnicity Over Time
Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among professional truck drivers.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Professional Truck Driver Race By Year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67.53% | 13.11% | 2.57% | 14.17% |
| 2011 | 67.16% | 13.49% | 2.59% | 14.06% |
| 2012 | 66.45% | 13.64% | 2.74% | 14.40% |
| 2013 | 66.53% | 13.17% | 2.65% | 14.92% |
| 2014 | 66.26% | 13.62% | 2.84% | 14.57% |
| 2015 | 65.34% | 13.95% | 2.88% | 15.03% |
| 2016 | 64.56% | 13.59% | 2.97% | 15.90% |
| 2017 | 64.35% | 13.71% | 3.00% | 16.07% |
| 2018 | 63.85% | 13.76% | 3.29% | 16.08% |
| 2019 | 64.24% | 13.73% | 3.12% | 15.98% |
| 2020 | 61.46% | 13.71% | 3.35% | 16.27% |
| 2021 | 58.51% | 14.40% | 3.70% | 17.88% |
Professional Truck Driver Wage Gap By Race
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $47,406 |
| White | $47,799 |
| Black or African American | $47,092 |
| Asian | $46,933 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $47,309 |
Average Age of a Professional Truck Driver
We determined the average age of professional truck drivers based on ethnicity and gender.
Professional Truck Driver Age By Race
| 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 |
Professional Truck Driver Age Breakdown
This chart breaks down the ages of professional truck driver employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of professional truck drivers is 40+ years old, which represents 72% of the population.
Professional Truck Driver Age
| Professional Truck Driver Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 72% |
| 30-40 years | 19% |
| 20-30 years | 9% |
Types of Professional Truck Driver Degree Levels
The most common degree for professional truck drivers is high school diploma 32% of professional truck drivers earn that degree. A close second is associate degree with 21% and rounding it off is bachelor's degree with 20%.
- High School Diploma, 32%
- Associate, 21%
- Bachelors, 20%
- Diploma, 12%
- Other Degrees, 15%
Professional Truck Drivers By Education
| Professional Truck Driver Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 32% |
| Associate | 21% |
| Bachelors | 20% |
| Diploma | 12% |
| Other Degrees | 15% |
Professional Truck Driver Jobs You Might Like
Professional Truck Driver Wage Gap By Education
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $48,810 |
| Master's Degree | $44,687 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $49,232 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $49,765 |
Professional Truck Driver Employment Statistics
This section highlights information about where professional truck drivers work. We found most professional truck drivers work for a private company. In addition, the industry that employs the most professional truck drivers is the transportation industry.
Company Size
We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire professional truck drivers.
Professional Truck Driver Jobs By Employer Size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 15% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 26% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 14% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 24% |
| > 10,000 employees | 16% |
The Types Of Companies Professional Truck Driver Work In
Employees with the professional truck driver job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most professional truck drivers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Professional Truck Driver Jobs By Sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 19% |
| Private | 79% |
| Government | 1% |
Top Industries Hiring Professional Truck Drivers
Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ professional truck drivers. Those industries include transportation, manufacturing and retail.
Professional Truck Driver Industry Statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Transportation | 48% |
| Manufacturing | 8% |
| Construction | 6% |
| Retail | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 6% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
Professional Truck Driver Turnover And Employment Statistics
Professional Truck Driver Unemployment Rate Over Time
The Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of professional truck drivers changed.
- Unemployment rate
Professional Truck Driver Unemployment Rate By Year
| Year | Professional 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% |
The Average Number of Years That Professional Truck Driver Stay in a Job
By looking over 3,431 professional truck drivers resumes, we figured out that the average professional truck driver enjoys staying at their job for Less than 1 year for a percentage of 40%.
Professional Truck Driver Tenure
| Number or Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 40% |
| 1-2 years | 27% |
| 3-4 years | 10% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Professional Truck Drivers with Other Job Titles
After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to professional truck drivers.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Gate Driver | 1.73% | 6,045 |
| Professional Truck Driver | 3.95% | - |
| Flag Car Driver | 6.17% | 123,836 |
| Charter Driver | 8.69% | 44,652 |
| Bus Driver Supervisor | 8.77% | 9,472 |
Professional Truck Driver LGBT Demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Gate Driver | 1.73% | 6,045 |
| Flag Car Driver | 6.17% | 123,836 |
| Charter Driver | 8.69% | 44,652 |
| Bus Driver Supervisor | 8.77% | 9,472 |
Foreign Languages Spoken By Professional Truck Drivers
The most common foreign language among professional truck drivers is Spanish at 75.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Carrier at 6.3% and Kurdish is the third-most popular at 3.1%.
- Spanish, 75.0%
- Carrier, 6.3%
- Kurdish, 3.1%
- Portuguese, 3.1%
- German, 3.1%
- Other, 9.4%
Professional Truck Driver Languages Spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 75.0% |
| Carrier | 6.3% |
| Kurdish | 3.1% |
| Portuguese | 3.1% |
| German | 3.1% |
| Other | 9.4% |
