Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver Salary in Visalia, CA

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in the Visalia, CA metro area earn a median $51,530 a year — 12% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $41,773 take-home, or $3,481 a month.

Median salary
$51,530
$24.77 per hour
Typical range
$36,010 – $89,030
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Visalia, CA
3,060
1.35× national concentration
▼9.8%
Pay trend: The median for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Visalia, CA fell from $57,150 (May 2024) to $51,530 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 12.2%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver salary in Visalia, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver in Visalia, CA
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$41,773
per year · effective tax rate 18.9%
$3,481Monthly
$1,741Twice a month
$1,607Every 2 weeks
$20.08Hourly
  • Federal income tax$4,004
  • Social Security (6.2%)$3,195
  • Medicare (1.45%)$747
  • California income tax$1,141
  • CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$670
  • Take-home pay$41,773

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 Visalia, CA

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$36,010$17.31$30,216$2,518
25th percentile$45,120$21.69$37,053$3,088
Median (50th)$51,530$24.77$41,773$3,481
75th percentile$62,710$30.15$49,940$4,162
90th percentile (top earners)$89,030$42.80$66,255$5,521

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $51,530 buys in Visalia, CA

Prices in Visalia, CA are 0.2% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 16% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver's $41,773 take-home pay has the buying power of $41,846 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,123
32% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,474
42% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$2,358
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Visalia, CA has 1.4× the national concentration of heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.

Best-paying cities for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, adjusted for cost of living

Visalia, CA ranks #131 of 134 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Lincoln, NE $81,790$63,527$69,367
2Memphis, TN $63,070$52,857$57,341
3Sioux Falls, SD $60,820$51,049$56,326
4Iowa City, IA $61,960$50,262$54,926
5Toledo, OH $60,410$49,841$54,497
6Fargo, ND $58,900$49,506$54,480
7Cedar Rapids, IA $58,900$47,920$53,865
8Youngstown, OH $56,810$47,047$53,833
131Visalia, CA$51,530$41,773$41,846

*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

Frequently asked questions

How much does a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver make in Visalia, CA?

The median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver salary in the Visalia, CA metro area is $51,530 a year, or about $24.77 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $45,120 and $62,710.

What is a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver’s take-home pay in Visalia, CA?

On the median $51,530 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $41,773 a year ($3,481 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,811 in California taxes in 2026.

Is Visalia, CA a good place to work as a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver?

Pay here is 12% below the national median of $58,640. Local prices are 0.2% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $41,846 would in a typical U.S. city. Visalia, CA ranks #131 of 134 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver afford rent in Visalia, CA?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Visalia, CA is $1,123 a month ($1,474 for two bedrooms) — 32% of a median heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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