Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver Salary in St. Louis, MO
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn a median $58,240 a year — 1% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $47,176 take-home, or $3,931 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver salary in St. Louis, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,809
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,611
- Medicare (1.45%)$844
- Missouri income tax$1,800
- Take-home pay$47,176
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.70% state
Living in St. Louis? City residents also pay St. Louis’s Earnings Tax — about $582 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $46,593 ($3,883 a month). Choose “St. Louis” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The St. Louis, MO-IL metro spans Missouri, Illinois. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver pay by experience in St. Louis, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $40,540 | $19.49 | $33,786 | $2,815 |
| 25th percentile | $48,310 | $23.23 | $39,664 | $3,305 |
| Median (50th) | $58,240 | $28.00 | $47,176 | $3,931 |
| 75th percentile | $69,610 | $33.47 | $55,466 | $4,622 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $79,300 | $38.13 | $61,828 | $5,152 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $58,240 buys in St. Louis, MO
Prices in St. Louis, MO are 4.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver's $47,176 take-home pay has the buying power of $49,613 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 St. Louis, MO as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.03).
Best-paying cities for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, adjusted for cost of living
St. Louis, MO ranks #47 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 |
| 47 | St. Louis, MO | $58,240 | $47,176 | $49,613 |
*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 Missouri
- Kansas City, MO — $60,170
- Springfield, MO — $56,070
- Joplin, MO — $47,430
Frequently asked questions
How much does a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver make in St. Louis, MO?
The median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver salary in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area is $58,240 a year, or about $28.00 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $48,310 and $69,610.
What is a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver’s take-home pay in St. Louis, MO?
On the median $58,240 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $47,176 a year ($3,931 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,800 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is St. Louis, MO a good place to work as a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver?
Pay here is 1% below the national median of $58,640. Local prices are 4.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $49,613 would in a typical U.S. city. St. Louis, MO ranks #47 of 134 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver afford rent in St. Louis, MO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in St. Louis, MO is $989 a month ($1,211 for two bedrooms) — 25% 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 St. Louis, MO
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $62,790
- Bus Drivers, School — $48,100
- Light Truck Driver — $47,150
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $46,330
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $41,780
- Driver/Sales Worker — $40,240
- Stocker and Order Filler — $37,840
- Packers and Packagers, Hand — $37,280
- Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment — $35,220