Tractor-trailer driver demographics and statistics in the US
Tractor-trailer driver demographics research summary. Zippia estimates tractor-trailer driver demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our tractor-trailer 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 tractor-trailer drivers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 1,297,683 tractor-trailer drivers currently employed in the United States.
- 6.8% of all tractor-trailer drivers are women, while 93.2% are men.
- The average tractor-trailer driver age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of tractor-trailer drivers is White (59.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.0%), Black or African American (13.7%) and Unknown (4.7%).
- Tractor-trailer drivers are most in-demand in West Jefferson, OH.
- Atlanta, GA pays an annual average wage of $70,035, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women tractor-trailer drivers earned 89% of what men earned.
- North Dakota is the best state for tractor-trailer drivers to live.
- Tractor-trailer drivers are 77% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Tractor-trailer driver demographics by:
Tractor-trailer driver gender statistics
6.8% of tractor-trailer drivers are women and 93.2% of tractor-trailer drivers are men.
- Male, 93.2%
- Female, 6.8%
Tractor-trailer driver gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 93.2% |
| Female | 6.8% |
Tractor-trailer driver gender pay gap
Women earn 89¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$56,953
Female income
$50,926
Tractor-trailer driver gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in tractor-trailer driver positions over time. Currently, 6.8% of tractor-trailer drivers are female.
Tractor-trailer driver gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 95.06% | 4.94% |
| 2011 | 94.90% | 5.10% |
| 2012 | 94.45% | 5.55% |
| 2013 | 94.23% | 5.77% |
| 2014 | 94.02% | 5.98% |
| 2015 | 94.10% | 5.90% |
| 2016 | 93.90% | 6.10% |
| 2017 | 93.78% | 6.22% |
| 2018 | 93.05% | 6.95% |
| 2019 | 93.18% | 6.82% |
| 2020 | 93.31% | 6.69% |
| 2021 | 93.25% | 6.75% |
Tractor-trailer driver related jobs gender ratio
We compared tractor-trailer 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% |
| Tractor-Trailer Driver | 93% | 7% |
| 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%
Tractor-trailer driver demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among tractor-trailer drivers is White, which makes up 59.3% of all tractor-trailer drivers. Comparatively, 18.0% of tractor-trailer drivers are Hispanic or Latino and 13.7% of tractor-trailer drivers are Black or African American.
- White, 59.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.0%
- Black or African American, 13.7%
- Unknown, 4.7%
- Asian, 3.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Tractor-trailer driver race
| Tractor-trailer driver race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 59.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.0% |
| Black or African American | 13.7% |
| Unknown | 4.7% |
| Asian | 3.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Tractor-trailer driver race and ethnicity over time
See how tractor-trailer driver racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Tractor-trailer driver race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 68.28% | 12.40% | 2.48% | 14.27% |
| 2011 | 67.92% | 12.79% | 2.50% | 14.16% |
| 2012 | 67.20% | 12.93% | 2.65% | 14.50% |
| 2013 | 67.29% | 12.47% | 2.56% | 15.02% |
| 2014 | 67.01% | 12.91% | 2.74% | 14.67% |
| 2015 | 66.10% | 13.25% | 2.79% | 15.14% |
| 2016 | 65.31% | 12.89% | 2.88% | 16.01% |
| 2017 | 65.10% | 13.01% | 2.90% | 16.17% |
| 2018 | 64.61% | 13.06% | 3.20% | 16.18% |
| 2019 | 64.99% | 13.02% | 3.03% | 16.08% |
| 2020 | 62.21% | 13.00% | 3.26% | 16.37% |
| 2021 | 59.26% | 13.69% | 3.60% | 17.98% |
Tractor-trailer driver wage gap by race
According to our data, white tractor-trailer drivers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian tractor-trailer drivers have the lowest average salary at $56,499.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $57,073 |
| White | $57,552 |
| Black or African American | $56,692 |
| Asian | $56,499 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $56,956 |
Average tractor-trailer driver age
See how the average age of tractor-trailer drivers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Tractor-trailer 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 |
Tractor-trailer driver age breakdown
The average age of tractor-trailer drivers is 40+ years years old, representing 72% of the tractor-trailer driver population.
Tractor-trailer driver age breakdown
| Tractor-Trailer Driver Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 72% |
| 30-40 years | 19% |
| 20-30 years | 9% |
Tractor-trailer driver educational attainment
The most common degree for tractor-trailer drivers is high school diploma, with 44% of tractor-trailer drivers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 16% and associate degree degree at 14%.
- High School Diploma, 44%
- Associate, 16%
- Diploma, 14%
- Bachelor's, 11%
- Other Degrees, 15%
Tractor-trailer drivers by degree level
| Tractor-trailer driver degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 44% |
| Associate | 16% |
| Diploma | 14% |
| Bachelor's | 11% |
| Other Degrees | 15% |
Tractor-trailer driver jobs you might like
Tractor-trailer driver wage gap by degree level
According to the data, tractor-trailer drivers with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $59,943 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, tractor-trailer drivers earn a median annual income of $59,294 compared to $58,781 for tractor-trailer drivers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $53,768 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $58,781 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $59,294 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $59,943 |
Tractor-trailer driver employment statistics
Most tractor-trailer drivers work for a private in the transportation industry.
Company size where tractor-trailer drivers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where tractor-trailer drivers work.
Tractor-trailer driver jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 13% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 20% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 15% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 26% |
| > 10,000 employees | 20% |
Tractor-trailer driver jobs by company type
Employees with the tractor-trailer driver job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most tractor-trailer drivers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Tractor-trailer driver jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 21% |
| Private | 77% |
| Government | 1% |
Tractor-trailer driver jobs by industry
The most common industries for tractor-trailer drivers are transportation, retail and manufacturing.
Tractor-trailer driver industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Transportation | 45% |
| Fortune 500 | 10% |
| Retail | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Construction | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Tractor-trailer driver turnover and employment statistics
Tractor-trailer driver unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for tractor-trailer drivers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Tractor-trailer driver unemployment rate by year
| Year | Tractor-trailer 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 tractor-trailer driver tenure
The average tractor-trailer driver stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 9,536 tractor-trailer drivers resumes in Zippia's database.
Tractor-trailer driver tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 34% |
| 1-2 years | 29% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 12% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 9% |
Tractor-trailer driver LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of tractor-trailer 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Assembly Line Driver | 1.73% | 55,180 |
| Tractor-Trailer Driver | 3.95% | - |
| Courtesy Car Driver | 6.17% | 130,650 |
| Trackless Trolley Driver | 8.69% | 34,103 |
| Bus Monitor | 8.77% | 11,422 |
Similar tractor-trailer driver jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Assembly Line Driver | 1.73% | 55,180 |
| Courtesy Car Driver | 6.17% | 130,650 |
| Trackless Trolley Driver | 8.69% | 34,103 |
| Bus Monitor | 8.77% | 11,422 |
Foreign languages spoken by tractor-trailer drivers
The most common foreign language among tractor-trailer drivers is Spanish at 60.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Carrier at 7.5% and Russian is the third-most popular at 5.4%.
- Spanish, 60.2%
- Carrier, 7.5%
- Russian, 5.4%
- Zulu, 3.2%
- Polish, 3.2%
- Other, 20.5%
Tractor-trailer driver languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 60.2% |
| Carrier | 7.5% |
| Russian | 5.4% |
| Zulu | 3.2% |
| Polish | 3.2% |
| Other | 20.5% |
