National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Truck Drivers earn a national median of $54,320/year vs Project Managers at $98,580/year. Project Managers earn 81% more nationally. The gap is $44,260 per year — or $3,688 per month.
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Truck Driver
$54,320
national median/year
$4,527/mo • $26/hr
VS
Project Manager
$98,580
national median/year
$8,215/mo • $47/hr
Annual salary gap
$44,260
Project Managers earn 81% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $501,700.
Best states for Project Managers
vs Truck Drivers
California+$60,000
Massachusetts+$58,000
New York+$58,000
Washington+$58,000
Virginia+$56,000
Best states for Truck Drivers
vs Project Managers
North Dakota+$-22,000
West Virginia+$-22,000
Arkansas+$-24,000
Mississippi+$-24,000
South Dakota+$-24,000
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Project Managers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Truck Drivers is $54,320 versus $98,580 for Project Managers — a difference of $44,260 per year or $3,688 per month.
The national median salary gap between Truck Drivers and Project Managers is $44,260 per year. Project Managers earn 81% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $501,700.
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 Project Managers the highest median salary at $122,320 per year.
Salary is one factor — Project Managers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers and Project Management Specialists 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 Project Managers earn approximately $47 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.
