Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers pay range in Salinas
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,480 a year or less, while the top 10% make $76,970 or more. The middle half of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Salinas earn between $45,050 and $63,130.
- $38K10th
- $45K25th
- $53KMedian
- $63K75th
- $77K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $56,250 | $4,688 | $27.04 |
| Median | $53,390 | $4,449 | $25.67 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $45,050 | $3,754 | $21.66 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $63,130 | $5,261 | $30.35 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers pay in Salinas vs. California and the U.S.
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Salinas earn 9% less than the California average ($62,020) and 6% less than the U.S. average ($59,710). At the median the gap is -9% against the U.S. median of $58,640.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas | $56,250 | $53,390 | $38,480 | $76,970 | 2,140 |
| California | $62,020 | $60,230 | $41,830 | $81,960 | 205,090 |
| United States | $59,710 | $58,640 | $40,140 | $79,380 | 2,062,040 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary after taxes in Salinas
On the average salary of $56,250, a single filer in Salinas takes home about $45,809 a year, or $3,817 a month and $1,762 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Salinas a good place for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Salinas area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 109.0), so the average $56,250 buys what about $51,586 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Salinas ($47,380). A typical home costs $850,461, or 15.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary in other California cities
Salinas ranks 23rd of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Jose pays the most ($70,730).
- San Jose$70,730
- San Francisco$69,260
- Riverside$64,130
- Santa Rosa$63,580
- Napa$63,210
- Vallejo$62,430
- Sacramento$62,060
- Stockton$61,820
- Los Angeles$61,230
- Salinas$56,250
All Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salaries in California
Highest-paying cities for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
Iowa City, IA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($77,940).
- Iowa City, IA$77,940
- Lincoln, NE$73,050
- Fairbanks, AK$72,350
- Seattle, WA$71,980
- San Jose, CA$70,730
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Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers salary in Salinas: questions
How much do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make an hour in Salinas?
$27.04 an hour on average, and $25.67 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers salary in Salinas?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,480 a year and the 25th percentile is $45,050, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers take-home pay in Salinas?
About $45,809 a year ($3,817 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $56,250. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn more in Salinas than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% less than the U.S. average for this job ($59,710).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 53-3032; area Salinas, CA (41500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.3%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.87, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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