Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Salary in North Carolina
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in North Carolina have a median of $51,530 a year, below the national $58,640 (−12%); the state ranks 46th of 51 states by median. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers earn 7% more than the median across all occupations in North Carolina ($47,970). Among neighbouring states, Tennessee, Georgia and Virginia pay more (up to $58,620 in Tennessee) and South Carolina pays less (down to $51,130 in South Carolina). North Carolina employs 62,400 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, 12.6 per 1,000 jobs, the 10th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.95 is close to the national share.
North Carolina vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $18.94 | $22.27 | $24.77 | $30.12 | $36.71 | $26.83 | 62,400 | 12.63 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $39,400 | $46,320 | $51,530 | $62,640 | $76,360 | $55,810 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $19.30 | $23.06 | $28.19 | $33.23 | $38.17 | $28.71 | 2,062,040 | – | – |
| Annual | $40,140 | $47,960 | $58,640 | $69,120 | $79,380 | $59,710 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 46th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 10th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.95
- Jobs per 1,000
- 12.63
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of North Carolina's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in North Carolina
16 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching North Carolina publish a row for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $28.12 | $58,480 | $40,350 | $80,560 | 6,480 | 17.73 | 1.34 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $27.63 | $57,460 | $40,640 | $78,410 | 3,050 | 19.79 | 1.49 |
| Burlington, NC | $27.06 | $56,290 | $39,870 | $94,000 | 1,020 | 14.98 | 1.13 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $26.98 | $56,120 | $44,240 | $77,490 | 18,700 | 13.77 | 1.04 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $25.61 | $53,280 | $41,810 | $78,990 | 2,130 | 6.20 | 0.47 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $25.06 | $52,110 | $40,030 | $73,810 | 7,210 | 9.70 | 0.73 |
| Asheville, NC | $24.88 | $51,750 | $40,770 | $72,250 | 2,040 | 11.29 | 0.85 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $24.67 | $51,320 | $38,300 | $75,850 | 3,480 | 12.80 | 0.97 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $24.26 | $50,460 | $38,180 | $71,930 | 7,460 | 9.77 | 0.74 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $24.03 | $49,980 | $39,380 | $65,380 | 1,400 | 10.65 | 0.80 |
| Greenville, NC | $23.55 | $48,980 | $36,540 | $72,250 | 500 | 6.15 | 0.46 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $23.49 | $48,860 | $38,600 | $74,640 | 220 | 5.23 | 0.39 |
| Wilmington, NC | $23.49 | $48,850 | $37,210 | $71,480 | 1,840 | 9.61 | 0.72 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $23.12 | $48,090 | $38,660 | $84,510 | 840 | 15.32 | 1.16 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $22.66 | $47,140 | $37,350 | $72,210 | 400 | 9.88 | 0.74 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $21.94 | $45,640 | $35,150 | $58,760 | 360 | 6.86 | 0.52 |
| Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $23.78 | $49,460 | $37,980 | $76,610 | 3,840 | 15.15 | 1.14 |
| Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $23.60 | $49,080 | $38,820 | $70,760 | 3,980 | 16.73 | 1.26 |
| Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $23.18 | $48,210 | $36,410 | $73,200 | 4,160 | 15.73 | 1.19 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $24.77 | $51,530 | 62,400 | 0.95 |
| Georgia | $27.43 | $57,050 | 74,840 | 1.15 |
| South Carolina | $24.58 | $51,130 | 34,170 | 1.12 |
| Tennessee | $28.18 | $58,620 | 64,890 | 1.49 |
| Virginia | $27.34 | $56,860 | 48,750 | 0.89 |
See the national page for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (every state ranked) and the North Carolina wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS North Carolina estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.