National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Truck Drivers earn a national median of $54,320/year vs Surgeons at $297,800/year. Surgeons earn 448% more nationally. The gap is $243,480 per year — or $20,290 per month.
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Truck Driver
$54,320
national median/year
$4,527/mo • $26/hr
VS
Surgeon
$297,800
national median/year
$24,817/mo • $143/hr
Annual salary gap
$243,480
Surgeons earn 448% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $2,759,917.
Best states for Surgeons
vs Truck Drivers
California+$275,680
New York+$267,680
New Jersey+$264,680
Massachusetts+$261,680
Washington+$261,680
Best states for Truck Drivers
vs Surgeons
Mississippi+$-203,680
West Virginia+$-205,680
Arkansas+$-209,680
Louisiana+$-213,680
North Dakota+$-213,680
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Surgeons earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Truck Drivers is $54,320 versus $297,800 for Surgeons — a difference of $243,480 per year or $20,290 per month.
The national median salary gap between Truck Drivers and Surgeons is $243,480 per year. Surgeons earn 448% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $2,759,917.
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 Surgeons the highest median salary at $338,000 per year.
Salary is one factor — Surgeons earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers and Surgeons 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 Surgeons earn approximately $143 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.
