Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver Salary in Columbus, OH
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in the Columbus, OH metro area earn a median $61,720 a year — 5% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $50,857 take-home, or $4,238 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver salary in Columbus, OH. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,226
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,827
- Medicare (1.45%)$895
- Ohio income tax$915
- Take-home pay$50,857
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 2.75% state
Living in Columbus? City residents also pay Columbus’s city income tax — about $1,543 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $49,314 ($4,110 a month). Choose “Columbus” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver pay by experience in Columbus, OH
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $46,510 | $22.36 | $39,054 | $3,255 |
| 25th percentile | $51,710 | $24.86 | $43,089 | $3,591 |
| Median (50th) | $61,720 | $29.67 | $50,857 | $4,238 |
| 75th percentile | $75,300 | $36.20 | $60,515 | $5,043 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $90,080 | $43.31 | $70,506 | $5,876 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Ohio resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $61,720 buys in Columbus, OH
Prices in Columbus, OH are 4.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 12% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver's $50,857 take-home pay has the buying power of $53,271 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver jobs are about as common in Columbus, OH as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.10).
Best-paying cities for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, adjusted for cost of living
Columbus, OH ranks #11 of 134 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lincoln, NE | $81,790 | $63,527 | $69,367 |
| 2 | Memphis, TN | $63,070 | $52,857 | $57,341 |
| 3 | Sioux Falls, SD | $60,820 | $51,049 | $56,326 |
| 4 | Iowa City, IA | $61,960 | $50,262 | $54,926 |
| 5 | Toledo, OH | $60,410 | $49,841 | $54,497 |
| 6 | Fargo, ND | $58,900 | $49,506 | $54,480 |
| 7 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $58,900 | $47,920 | $53,865 |
| 8 | Youngstown, OH | $56,810 | $47,047 | $53,833 |
| 11 | Columbus, OH | $61,720 | $50,857 | $53,271 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 134 metros →
About the job: heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers
Drive a tractor-trailer combination or a truck with a capacity of at least 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). May be required to unload truck. Requires commercial drivers’ license.
- Typical education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +3.8% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver salaries elsewhere in Ohio
- Toledo, OH — $60,410
- Youngstown, OH — $56,810
- Akron, OH — $60,210
- Dayton, OH — $59,490
- Cincinnati, OH — $60,590
- Cleveland, OH — $58,970
Frequently asked questions
How much does a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver make in Columbus, OH?
The median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver salary in the Columbus, OH metro area is $61,720 a year, or about $29.67 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $51,710 and $75,300.
What is a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver’s take-home pay in Columbus, OH?
On the median $61,720 salary, a single filer living in Ohio takes home about $50,857 a year ($4,238 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $915 in Ohio taxes in 2026.
Is Columbus, OH a good place to work as a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver?
Pay here is 5% above the national median of $58,640. Local prices are 4.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $53,271 would in a typical U.S. city. Columbus, OH ranks #11 of 134 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver afford rent in Columbus, OH?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Columbus, OH is $1,179 a month ($1,416 for two bedrooms) — 28% of a median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Columbus, OH
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $62,260
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $46,780
- Light Truck Driver — $43,800
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $41,200
- Stocker and Order Filler — $39,040
- Packers and Packagers, Hand — $38,090
- Driver/Sales Worker — $36,730