Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver Salary in San Jose, CA
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area earn a median $70,730 a year — 21% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $55,223 take-home, or $4,602 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver salary in San Jose, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$6,731
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,385
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,026
- California income tax$2,446
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$919
- Take-home pay$55,223
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 8.00% 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 Jose, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $48,280 | $23.21 | $39,399 | $3,283 |
| 25th percentile | $57,880 | $27.83 | $46,412 | $3,868 |
| Median (50th) | $70,730 | $34.00 | $55,223 | $4,602 |
| 75th percentile | $80,120 | $38.52 | $60,931 | $5,078 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $94,620 | $45.49 | $69,595 | $5,800 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $70,730 buys in San Jose, CA
Prices in San Jose, CA are 10.4% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 2.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver's $55,223 take-home pay has the buying power of $50,010 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 Jose, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.36), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, adjusted for cost of living
San Jose, CA ranks #42 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 |
| 42 | San Jose, CA | $70,730 | $55,223 | $50,010 |
*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
- 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
- Fresno, CA — $55,740
Frequently asked questions
How much does a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver make in San Jose, CA?
The median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver salary in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $70,730 a year, or about $34.00 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $57,880 and $80,120.
What is a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver’s take-home pay in San Jose, CA?
On the median $70,730 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $55,223 a year ($4,602 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,366 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Jose, CA a good place to work as a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver?
Pay here is 21% above the national median of $58,640. Local prices are 10.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $50,010 would in a typical U.S. city. San Jose, CA ranks #42 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 Jose, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Jose, CA is $2,957 a month ($3,464 for two bedrooms) — 64% 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 Jose, CA
- Light Truck Driver — $52,100
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $47,060
- Stocker and Order Filler — $44,970
- Packers and Packagers, Hand — $42,410