National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Truck Drivers earn a national median of $54,320/year vs Registered Nurses at $93,600/year. Registered Nurses earn 72% more nationally. The gap is $39,280 per year — or $3,273 per month.
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Truck Driver
$54,320
national median/year
$4,527/mo • $26/hr
VS
Registered Nurse
$93,600
national median/year
$7,800/mo • $45/hr
Annual salary gap
$39,280
Registered Nurses earn 72% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $445,250.
Best states for Registered Nurses
vs Truck Drivers
California+$70,980
Hawaii+$58,480
Washington+$54,080
Oregon+$52,080
New York+$48,480
Best states for Truck Drivers
vs Registered Nurses
North Dakota+$-16,880
West Virginia+$-17,680
South Dakota+$-18,080
Mississippi+$-18,880
Arkansas+$-19,680
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Registered Nurses earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Truck Drivers is $54,320 versus $93,600 for Registered Nurses — a difference of $39,280 per year or $3,273 per month.
The national median salary gap between Truck Drivers and Registered Nurses is $39,280 per year. Registered Nurses earn 72% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $445,250.
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 Registered Nurses the highest median salary at $133,300 per year.
Salary is one factor — Registered Nurses earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers and Registered Nurses 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 Registered Nurses earn approximately $45 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.
