Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver Salary in Baltimore, MD
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area earn a median $59,460 a year — 1% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $47,495 take-home, or $3,958 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver salary in Baltimore, MD. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,955
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,687
- Medicare (1.45%)$862
- Maryland income tax$2,461
- Take-home pay$47,495
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.75% state
Living in Baltimore City? City residents also pay Baltimore City’s city income tax — about $1,693 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $45,802 ($3,817 a month). Choose “Baltimore City” 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 Baltimore, MD
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $43,580 | $20.95 | $35,490 | $2,958 |
| 25th percentile | $49,690 | $23.89 | $40,109 | $3,342 |
| Median (50th) | $59,460 | $28.59 | $47,495 | $3,958 |
| 75th percentile | $69,310 | $33.32 | $54,661 | $4,555 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $78,770 | $37.87 | $60,867 | $5,072 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Maryland resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $59,460 buys in Baltimore, MD
Prices in Baltimore, MD are 4.5% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.18× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver's $47,495 take-home pay has the buying power of $45,456 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 Baltimore, MD as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.87).
Best-paying cities for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, adjusted for cost of living
Baltimore, MD ranks #113 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 |
| 113 | Baltimore, MD | $59,460 | $47,495 | $45,456 |
*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 Maryland
- Hagerstown, MD — $56,310
Frequently asked questions
How much does a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver make in Baltimore, MD?
The median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver salary in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area is $59,460 a year, or about $28.59 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $49,690 and $69,310.
What is a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver’s take-home pay in Baltimore, MD?
On the median $59,460 salary, a single filer living in Maryland takes home about $47,495 a year ($3,958 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,461 in Maryland taxes in 2026.
Is Baltimore, MD 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 4.5% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $45,456 would in a typical U.S. city. Baltimore, MD ranks #113 of 134 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver afford rent in Baltimore, MD?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Baltimore, MD is $1,511 a month ($1,857 for two bedrooms) — 38% 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 Baltimore, MD
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $75,460
- Bus Drivers, School — $57,850
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity — $57,800
- Light Truck Driver — $48,080
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $43,850
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $43,250
- Shuttle Driver and Chauffeur — $41,200
- Driver/Sales Worker — $40,700
- Stocker and Order Filler — $38,630
- Packers and Packagers, Hand — $35,820
- Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment — $35,780