Based on the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data — updated September 10, 2026.
| North Carolina | National | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual salary | $51,530 | $57,715 | -11% |
| Median hourly wage | $24.77 | $27.75 | -11% |
Adjusted for local price levels (100 = national average), the cost-adjusted median is $54,645.
| City | Median | Entry Level | Experienced | Cost of Living |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City-level data coming soon. | ||||
The median annual salary for a Truck Driver in North Carolina is $51,530, or about $24.77 per hour, according to BLS OEWS data.
The national median for Truck Drivers is $57,715. North Carolina is -11% below the national median.
Entry-level truck drivers in North Carolina typically earn from varies by experience depending on the city and employer.
With 62,400 truck driver jobs on record and a median salary of $51,530, North Carolina offers competitive pay compared to the rest of the country.
By median annual wage, truck drivers rank 409 of the 745 occupations reported in North Carolina — higher than 45% of them.
Among occupations in the same job family, Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers at $151,540, Air Traffic Controllers at $129,230, Commercial Pilots at $127,310 — all figures are median annual wages for North Carolina.
No. Every figure on this page is a gross (pre-tax) wage. North Carolina levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 95.0 (100 = national average).
By median annual wage, truck drivers rank 409 of the 745 occupations reported in North Carolina — higher than 45% of them.
| Occupation in the same job family | Median in North Carolina | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $151,540 | $2,240 |
| Air Traffic Controllers | $129,230 | $410 |
| Commercial Pilots | $127,310 | $1,520 |
| Transportation Inspectors | $84,470 | $380 |
| Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels | $69,170 | $490 |
| Ship Engineers | $65,010 | $90 |
North Carolina levies a state income tax, so take-home pay is lower than the gross figures shown here. The state's cost of living index is 95.0 (100 = national average).
Ranking and comparison figures come from the same BLS OEWS release as the rest of this page, which covers 745 occupations in North Carolina.