Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver Salary in Detroit, MI
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area earn a median $59,120 a year — 1% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $47,421 take-home, or $3,952 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver salary in Detroit, MI. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,914
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,665
- Medicare (1.45%)$857
- Michigan income tax$2,262
- Take-home pay$47,421
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.25% state
Living in Detroit? City residents also pay Detroit’s city income tax — about $1,419 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $46,002 ($3,834 a month). Choose “Detroit” 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 Detroit, MI
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $41,960 | $20.17 | $34,362 | $2,864 |
| 25th percentile | $48,340 | $23.24 | $39,217 | $3,268 |
| Median (50th) | $59,120 | $28.42 | $47,421 | $3,952 |
| 75th percentile | $64,080 | $30.81 | $51,196 | $4,266 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $76,660 | $36.86 | $59,753 | $4,979 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Michigan resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $59,120 buys in Detroit, MI
Prices in Detroit, MI are 0.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 5% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver's $47,421 take-home pay has the buying power of $47,280 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 Detroit, MI as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.02).
Best-paying cities for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, adjusted for cost of living
Detroit, MI ranks #87 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 |
| 87 | Detroit, MI | $59,120 | $47,421 | $47,280 |
*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 Michigan
- Grand Rapids, MI — $58,270
- Lansing, MI — $56,710
Frequently asked questions
How much does a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver make in Detroit, MI?
The median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver salary in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area is $59,120 a year, or about $28.42 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $48,340 and $64,080.
What is a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver’s take-home pay in Detroit, MI?
On the median $59,120 salary, a single filer living in Michigan takes home about $47,421 a year ($3,952 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,262 in Michigan taxes in 2026.
Is Detroit, MI a good place to work as a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver?
Pay here is 1% above the national median of $58,640. Local prices are 0.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $47,280 would in a typical U.S. city. Detroit, MI ranks #87 of 134 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver afford rent in Detroit, MI?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Detroit, MI is $1,128 a month ($1,413 for two bedrooms) — 29% 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 Detroit, MI
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $61,670
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $46,550
- Light Truck Driver — $44,200
- Driver/Sales Worker — $40,630
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $40,330
- Stocker and Order Filler — $36,720
- Shuttle Driver and Chauffeur — $36,390
- Packers and Packagers, Hand — $36,120
- Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment — $34,780