National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Teachers earn a national median of $63,680/year vs Truck Drivers at $54,320/year. Teachers earn 15% more nationally. The gap is $9,360 per year — or $780 per month.
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Teacher
$63,680
national median/year
$5,307/mo • $31/hr
VS
Truck Driver
$54,320
national median/year
$4,527/mo • $26/hr
Annual salary gap
$9,360
Teachers earn 15% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $106,098.
Best states for Truck Drivers
vs Teachers
North Dakota+$110
South Dakota+$0
Oklahoma+$-500
Arkansas+$-1,550
Missouri+$-1,820
Best states for Teachers
vs Truck Drivers
New York+$28,920
Massachusetts+$23,890
California+$23,670
Connecticut+$21,800
Rhode Island+$19,000
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Teachers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Teachers is $63,680 versus $54,320 for Truck Drivers — a difference of $9,360 per year or $780 per month.
The national median salary gap between Teachers and Truck Drivers is $9,360 per year. Teachers earn 15% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $106,098.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, New York pays Teachers the highest median salary at $89,240 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Alaska pays Truck Drivers the highest median salary at $62,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Teachers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Elementary and Middle School Teachers and Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers both have different educational paths, licensing requirements, and long-term growth projections. Use salary as a starting point, not the only factor.
Based on a standard 2,080-hour work year, Teachers earn approximately $31 per hour nationally and Truck Drivers earn approximately $26 per hour. Actual hourly rates vary based on overtime, part-time work, and whether the role is salaried or hourly.
Methodology: Salary data from Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024-2025. Figures represent median annual wages for wage and salary workers. Self-employed excluded. Hourly rates calculated at 2,080 hours per year. State salary figures from same BLS OES dataset. Updated annually.
