Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Salary in Tennessee
At $58,620 a year, the median for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Tennessee is close to the national median of $58,640 (0%); Tennessee ranks 28th of 51 states by median. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers earn 24% more than the median across all occupations in Tennessee ($47,380). Tennessee pays more than every neighbouring state: Georgia, Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and North Carolina range from $51,530 in North Carolina to $57,050 in Georgia. Tennessee employs 64,890 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, 19.8 per 1,000 jobs, the 8th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.49 means the occupation is more concentrated in Tennessee than nationally.
Tennessee vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Tennessee | Hourly | $19.21 | $22.95 | $28.18 | $35.30 | $40.04 | $29.06 | 64,890 | 19.79 | 1.49 |
| Annual | $39,960 | $47,740 | $58,620 | $73,420 | $83,280 | $60,440 | ||||
| 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
- 28th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 8th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.49
- Jobs per 1,000
- 19.79
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Tennessee'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 Tennessee
10 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Tennessee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morristown, TN | $32.37 | $67,330 | $43,700 | $75,290 | 1,470 | 31.02 | 2.34 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $30.32 | $63,070 | $44,200 | $96,150 | 19,460 | 31.81 | 2.40 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $29.15 | $60,630 | $44,600 | $83,940 | 18,860 | 17.16 | 1.29 |
| Knoxville, TN | $28.41 | $59,100 | $39,670 | $79,040 | 8,130 | 19.14 | 1.44 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $27.62 | $57,440 | $39,440 | $74,730 | 4,370 | 16.27 | 1.23 |
| Jackson, TN | $26.52 | $55,160 | $37,530 | $76,110 | 1,870 | 22.17 | 1.67 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $26.30 | $54,700 | $39,060 | $69,580 | 1,880 | 15.72 | 1.19 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $24.75 | $51,470 | $38,670 | $77,640 | 1,380 | 13.42 | 1.01 |
| Cleveland, TN | $23.68 | $49,250 | $36,850 | $77,850 | 970 | 22.55 | 1.70 |
| Johnson City, TN | $22.92 | $47,670 | $36,350 | $68,010 | 850 | 10.37 | 0.78 |
| North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $24.36 | $50,670 | $37,330 | $74,300 | 1,910 | 16.62 | 1.25 |
| South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $24.30 | $50,550 | $38,540 | $73,130 | 2,840 | 25.79 | 1.94 |
| West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $23.46 | $48,790 | $35,650 | $76,200 | 2,290 | 19.55 | 1.47 |
| East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $22.98 | $47,810 | $39,190 | $72,630 | 2,810 | 19.96 | 1.51 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | $28.18 | $58,620 | 64,890 | 1.49 |
| Alabama | $25.06 | $52,120 | 36,650 | 1.31 |
| Arkansas | $24.79 | $51,550 | 32,220 | 1.86 |
| Georgia | $27.43 | $57,050 | 74,840 | 1.15 |
| Kentucky | $27.09 | $56,340 | 31,760 | 1.20 |
| Missouri | $26.23 | $54,550 | 47,760 | 1.23 |
| Mississippi | $24.92 | $51,820 | 24,160 | 1.57 |
| North Carolina | $24.77 | $51,530 | 62,400 | 0.95 |
| 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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.