Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver Salary in San Diego, CA
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $59,780 a year — 2% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $47,800 take-home, or $3,983 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,994
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,706
- Medicare (1.45%)$867
- California income tax$1,636
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$777
- Take-home pay$47,800
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver pay by experience in San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $40,880 | $19.65 | $33,871 | $2,823 |
| 25th percentile | $48,370 | $23.25 | $39,465 | $3,289 |
| Median (50th) | $59,780 | $28.74 | $47,800 | $3,983 |
| 75th percentile | $69,650 | $33.49 | $54,563 | $4,547 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $78,250 | $37.62 | $59,814 | $4,984 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $59,780 buys in San Diego, CA
Prices in San Diego, CA are 11.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.79× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver's $47,800 take-home pay has the buying power of $42,721 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 less concentrated in San Diego, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.51), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, adjusted for cost of living
San Diego, CA ranks #124 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 |
| 124 | San Diego, CA | $59,780 | $47,800 | $42,721 |
*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 California
- San Jose, CA — $70,730
- Stockton, CA — $60,470
- Bakersfield, CA — $57,690
- Sacramento, CA — $60,810
- San Francisco, CA — $66,450
- Riverside, CA — $60,580
- Vallejo, CA — $61,540
- Modesto, CA — $58,330
Frequently asked questions
How much does a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver make in San Diego, CA?
The median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $59,780 a year, or about $28.74 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $48,370 and $69,650.
What is a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $59,780 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $47,800 a year ($3,983 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,413 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver?
Pay here is 2% above the national median of $58,640. Local prices are 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $42,721 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #124 of 134 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver afford rent in San Diego, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Diego, CA is $2,459 a month ($3,001 for two bedrooms) — 62% 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 San Diego, CA
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $60,590
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $46,370
- Light Truck Driver — $45,670
- Shuttle Driver and Chauffeur — $43,670
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $43,320
- Stocker and Order Filler — $39,160
- Parking Attendant — $37,960
- Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment — $37,120
- Packers and Packagers, Hand — $36,890