National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Truck Drivers earn a national median of $54,320/year vs Physical Therapists at $99,710/year. Physical Therapists earn 84% more nationally. The gap is $45,390 per year — or $3,783 per month.
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Truck Driver
$54,320
national median/year
$4,527/mo • $26/hr
VS
Physical Therapist
$99,710
national median/year
$8,309/mo • $48/hr
Annual salary gap
$45,390
Physical Therapists earn 84% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $514,509.
Best states for Physical Therapists
vs Truck Drivers
Hawaii+$56,000
California+$52,000
Washington+$48,000
Alaska+$46,000
Arizona+$46,000
Best states for Truck Drivers
vs Physical Therapists
Mississippi+$-28,000
South Dakota+$-28,000
West Virginia+$-28,000
Arkansas+$-30,000
Iowa+$-30,000
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Physical Therapists earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Truck Drivers is $54,320 versus $99,710 for Physical Therapists — a difference of $45,390 per year or $3,783 per month.
The national median salary gap between Truck Drivers and Physical Therapists is $45,390 per year. Physical Therapists earn 84% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $514,509.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, Alaska pays Truck Drivers the highest median salary at $62,320 per year.
Based on BLS OES 2024-2025 data, California pays Physical Therapists the highest median salary at $114,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Physical Therapists earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers and Physical Therapists 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, Truck Drivers earn approximately $26 per hour nationally and Physical Therapists earn approximately $48 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.
