Trailer truck driver demographics and statistics in the US
Trailer truck driver demographics research summary. Zippia estimates trailer truck driver demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our trailer 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 trailer truck drivers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 661,433 trailer truck drivers currently employed in the United States.
- 6.3% of all trailer truck drivers are women, while 93.7% are men.
- The average trailer truck driver age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of trailer truck drivers is White (57.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.8%), Black or African American (14.3%) and Unknown (4.8%).
- In 2022, women earned 88% of what men earned.
- 4% of all trailer truck drivers are LGBT.
- Trailer truck drivers are 76% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Trailer truck driver demographics by:
Trailer truck driver gender statistics
6.3% of trailer truck drivers are women and 93.7% of trailer truck drivers are men.
- Male, 93.7%
- Female, 6.3%
Trailer truck driver gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 93.7% |
| Female | 6.3% |
Trailer truck driver gender pay gap
Women earn 88¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$55,455
Female income
$48,718
Trailer truck driver gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in trailer truck driver positions over time. Currently, 6.3% of trailer truck drivers are female.
Trailer truck driver gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 95.41% | 4.59% |
| 2011 | 95.26% | 4.74% |
| 2012 | 94.84% | 5.16% |
| 2013 | 94.64% | 5.36% |
| 2014 | 94.44% | 5.56% |
| 2015 | 94.51% | 5.49% |
| 2016 | 94.33% | 5.67% |
| 2017 | 94.22% | 5.78% |
| 2018 | 93.53% | 6.47% |
| 2019 | 93.65% | 6.35% |
| 2020 | 93.77% | 6.23% |
| 2021 | 93.72% | 6.28% |
Trailer truck driver related jobs gender ratio
We compared trailer 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% |
| Trailer 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%
Trailer truck driver demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among trailer truck drivers is White, which makes up 57.4% of all trailer truck drivers. Comparatively, 18.8% of trailer truck drivers are Hispanic or Latino and 14.3% of trailer truck drivers are Black or African American.
- White, 57.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.8%
- Black or African American, 14.3%
- Unknown, 4.8%
- Asian, 3.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
Trailer truck driver race
| Trailer truck driver race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 57.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.8% |
| Black or African American | 14.3% |
| Unknown | 4.8% |
| Asian | 3.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.8% |
Trailer truck driver race and ethnicity over time
See how trailer truck driver racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Trailer truck driver race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.42% | 13.02% | 2.75% | 15.05% |
| 2011 | 66.06% | 13.41% | 2.77% | 14.94% |
| 2012 | 65.34% | 13.56% | 2.92% | 15.28% |
| 2013 | 65.43% | 13.09% | 2.84% | 15.80% |
| 2014 | 65.15% | 13.54% | 3.02% | 15.45% |
| 2015 | 64.24% | 13.87% | 3.06% | 15.92% |
| 2016 | 63.45% | 13.51% | 3.16% | 16.79% |
| 2017 | 63.24% | 13.63% | 3.18% | 16.95% |
| 2018 | 62.75% | 13.68% | 3.48% | 16.96% |
| 2019 | 63.13% | 13.65% | 3.30% | 16.86% |
| 2020 | 60.35% | 13.62% | 3.54% | 17.15% |
| 2021 | 57.40% | 14.31% | 3.88% | 18.76% |
Trailer truck driver wage gap by race
According to our data, white trailer truck drivers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian trailer truck drivers have the lowest average salary at $54,943.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $55,590 |
| White | $56,130 |
| Black or African American | $55,160 |
| Asian | $54,943 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $55,458 |
Average trailer truck driver age
See how the average age of trailer truck drivers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Trailer 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 |
Trailer truck driver age breakdown
The average age of trailer truck drivers is 40+ years years old, representing 72% of the trailer truck driver population.
Trailer truck driver age breakdown
| Trailer Truck Driver Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 72% |
| 30-40 years | 19% |
| 20-30 years | 9% |
Trailer truck driver educational attainment
The most common degree for trailer truck drivers is high school diploma, with 46% of trailer truck 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, 46%
- Associate, 16%
- Diploma, 14%
- Bachelor's, 12%
- Other Degrees, 12%
Trailer truck drivers by degree level
| Trailer truck driver degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 46% |
| Associate | 16% |
| Diploma | 14% |
| Bachelor's | 12% |
| Other Degrees | 12% |
Trailer truck driver jobs you might like
Trailer truck driver wage gap by degree level
According to the data, trailer truck drivers with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $58,839 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, trailer truck drivers earn a median annual income of $58,102 compared to $57,520 for trailer truck drivers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $51,880 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $57,520 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $58,102 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $58,839 |
Trailer truck driver employment statistics
Most trailer truck drivers work for a private in the transportation industry.
Company size where trailer truck drivers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where trailer truck drivers work.
Trailer truck driver jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 19% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 22% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 13% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 23% |
| > 10,000 employees | 19% |
Trailer truck driver jobs by company type
Employees with the trailer truck driver job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most trailer truck drivers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Trailer truck driver jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 20% |
| Private | 76% |
| Government | 3% |
Trailer truck driver jobs by industry
The most common industries for trailer truck drivers are transportation, retail and manufacturing.
Trailer truck driver industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Transportation | 37% |
| Retail | 9% |
| Fortune 500 | 9% |
| Manufacturing | 8% |
| Construction | 6% |
| Hospitality | 5% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Government | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Agriculture | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
Trailer truck driver turnover and employment statistics
Trailer truck driver unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for trailer truck drivers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Trailer truck driver unemployment rate by year
| Year | Trailer 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 trailer truck driver tenure
The average trailer truck driver stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,501 trailer truck drivers resumes in Zippia's database.
Trailer truck driver tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 34% |
| 1-2 years | 31% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 7% |
Trailer truck driver LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of trailer 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Motor Transport Operator | 1.73% | 26,744 |
| Trailer Truck Driver | 3.95% | - |
| Transporter | 6.17% | 3,334 |
| Coach Operator | 8.69% | 43,963 |
| School Bus Driver/Teacher Assistant | 8.77% | 70,538 |
Similar trailer truck driver jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Motor Transport Operator | 1.73% | 26,744 |
| Transporter | 6.17% | 3,334 |
| Coach Operator | 8.69% | 43,963 |
| School Bus Driver/Teacher Assistant | 8.77% | 70,538 |
Foreign languages spoken by trailer truck drivers
The most common foreign language among trailer truck drivers is Spanish at 52.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.3% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 5.6%.
- Spanish, 52.8%
- French, 8.3%
- Portuguese, 5.6%
- German, 5.6%
- Italian, 5.6%
- Other, 22.1%
Trailer truck driver languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 52.8% |
| French | 8.3% |
| Portuguese | 5.6% |
| German | 5.6% |
| Italian | 5.6% |
| Other | 22.1% |
