National salary comparison — BLS OES 2024-2025 data
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Truck Drivers earn a national median of $54,320/year vs Welders at $47,990/year. Truck Drivers earn 12% more nationally. The gap is $6,330 per year — or $528 per month.
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Truck Driver
$54,320
national median/year
$4,527/mo • $26/hr
VS
Welder
$47,990
national median/year
$3,999/mo • $23/hr
Annual salary gap
$6,330
Truck Drivers earn 12% more per year nationally. Over 30 years at 7% investment return that gap compounds to approximately $71,752.
Best states for Welders
vs Truck Drivers
Hawaii+$8,670
Alaska+$4,670
Louisiana+$670
North Dakota+$670
Washington+$670
Best states for Truck Drivers
vs Welders
Arkansas+$7,330
Iowa+$7,330
Mississippi+$7,330
Ohio+$7,330
Alabama+$6,330
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Truck Drivers earn more nationally. The median annual salary for Truck Drivers is $54,320 versus $47,990 for Welders — a difference of $6,330 per year or $528 per month.
The national median salary gap between Truck Drivers and Welders is $6,330 per year. Truck Drivers earn 12% more. Over a 30-year career this difference, if invested at 7% annual return, compounds to approximately $71,752.
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, Alaska pays Welders the highest median salary at $66,990 per year.
Salary is one factor — Truck Drivers earn more nationally. But career choice involves job satisfaction, work-life balance, education requirements, and job growth. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers and Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers 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 Welders earn approximately $23 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.
