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If you’re interested in becoming a trucker, then you’ve probably seen Ice Road Truckers on TV, and you know that that’s one of the highest-paid trucking jobs available. But what else is there if you don’t want quite that much danger on the road?
The good news is that there are many high-paying truck jobs out there, and if this is the career path you want, then this article is for you.
DETAILED LIST OF THE 10 HIGHEST-PAID Trucking Jobs
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Concierge Luxury Movers
Average Yearly Salary: Unlimited
To do this job, you’ll probably have to start out working as a moving van driver, and the pay there will be modest, but it’s all worth it in the long run. The goal is to end up with a luxury moving company or to work independently and cultivate your own client list.
The paychecks can be huge, but the expectations and responsibilities are equally gigantic. These drivers work for the elite, celebrities, and the ultra-wealthy. They are responsible for taking care of millions, if not billions, of dollars of merchandise. Sometimes invaluable works of art are their responsibility.
Knowing how to manage these valuables, having the insurance to cover them, and being the most responsible and well-respected driver in the industry is a job requirement. There also needs to be a commitment to service from start to finish.
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Private Fleet Trucking
Average Yearly Salary: $86,000
If you work for a private fleet, you’re owned by the company that needs you to ship their supplies. You’re familiar with big-box companies and often see their branded trucks whizzing down the road. These are their private fleet trucks, and they use the same truckers to haul their goods.
Being employed for a private fleet is typically a good job with a steady income, healthy benefits, and reliable work. You won’t have to own your own truck, so you’ll also be saving that expense, and you don’t have to worry about where to park when you’re not on the road.
Big box stores were mentioned because they’re the most familiar to many people; there are a lot of other companies who prefer to be responsible for their own trucking and shipping. This means there are many options out there.
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Tanker/Liquid Hauling
Average Yearly Salary: $61,000
Moving liquids and gasses requires a skilled tanker driver. Getting a tanker endorsement is a key to getting one of these good-paying jobs. It’s a special skill and has its own dangers.
Many liquid haulers have to make several stops before their trucks are full; this means they need to be able to drive with partial loads. This might not seem like a big deal until you understand that if they’re driving a food-grade truck, they’re unbaffled – which means there are no breaks to slow any movement of liquid. This can get quite dangerous as the momentum of waves inside the tanker picks up.
If you want to be a liquid hauler but are looking to make even more money, then getting qualified for hazardous loads could be a way to do that. Of course, with the additional pay comes a lot of additional safety risks.
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Average Yearly Salary: $61,000
If the idea of getting additional trucking certifications appeals to you, that’s where you’ll find the money. Another trucking job that requires more training and proving that you’re ready to handle the load is oversize hauling.
You’ve no doubt seen these trucks on the road before, usually with a large sign announcing the oversize load. Their loads can range from space shuttles to entire homes and a lot of other things in between.
These loads are usually wider than 8-feet, 6-inches, but that can vary a little by state. If the load weighs more than 250,000 pounds, then you’re hauling a super load. That’s a lot of responsibility, not just for the load and the truck but toward other people on the road with you.
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Average Yearly Salary: $51,000
When you’re a team driver, it’s the two of you against the world. Well, not really, but it’s two people who take turns driving the same truck. The thought is that the two of them can drive virtually non-stop to get a load to its destination faster. Because there is the speed involved, your customers are willing to pay a premium, and that’s why team drivers can make a decent living.
Team driving can be quite taxing and trying since sleeping on the road is rarely as restful as sleeping at home in a bed and the stress of being with the same individual day in and out isn’t for some people. But if you can find a teammate and make it work, it’s a great way to get some experience under your belt and money in the bank.
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Average Yearly Salary: $41,849
How about a job driving a vehicle that’s hauling a bunch of other vehicles? What if each of those vehicles you were hauling were worth more money than you’ll make in a year? Luxury vehicles need to be transported around the country for buyers everywhere, and those buyers don’t want one single mile on their pre-ordered beauties.
This is one of those situations where the more expensive your cargo is, the more you’ll get paid. But of course, you’ll need to have experience, a great driving record, demonstrable skills, etc. With cargo being valuable, the company you work for is going to want to know you’re up to the challenge.
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Average Yearly Salary: $41,000
If you’re not from an area where there is a mining industry, you might not realize what a big business it is. If you live in one of these regions and you want to be a driver, then you’ve probably already considered this field of employment.
There’s another reason to want to work as a driver in the mining industry. If money doesn’t entirely motivate you, perhaps the idea of being able to drive the world’s largest dump truck does. These gigantic trucks are called behemoth dump trucks.
The largest in the world is the BelAZ 75710, which is housed in Siberia. If you’re not interested in moving to Russia to drive one of these gigantic trucks, you’re in luck because there are similar large ones at big mines around the globe.
The only downside is you’ll never drive these big guys on the road; they are designed to stay in the mine and move their load from place to place on the property.
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Owner/Truck Operator
Average Yearly Salary: $35,000
It sounds like this is the way to go if you’re in it for the dollar. There are a lot of benefits to being your own boss, choosing the hauls you want, setting your hours and your rates. There’s also never a boss who’s hounding you all the time.
Of course, there are definitely downsides to this job too. Being your own boss means you need to do everything or pay others to do it. That can include paying bills, doing maintenance, making sales and finding clients, invoicing, marketing, and everything else that comes with owning a business.
On top of that, one of the biggest responsibilities when you’re the owner/operator of a trucking business, is the truck itself. Trucks are expensive, and they’re used heavily, so regular maintenance occurs all the time, as do unavoidable repairs.
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Union Truck Driver
Average Yearly Salary: $35,000 – 70,000
If you want to skip all the hassle mentioned above, then it’s best to work for someone else and let them take care of the extra burdens and expenses. Even better, join a union, and they’ll add further protection and benefits.
Being in a union means that there is a group overseeing your pay, benefits, working conditions, and all other aspects that go into a job. They are designed to protect workers from unfair working conditions and other abuses in the workspace. It is important to note that most truck drivers are not unionized, so it might be difficult to find a job with a union.
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Ice Road Trucker
Average Yearly Salary: $50,000 – 78,000 (during season)
We mentioned this job at the beginning, and the list wouldn’t be complete without ice road truckers. If you’ve seen the show, you might know a little bit about ice road trucking. It’s a dangerous job that’s entirely at the mercy of Mother Nature.
They face frigid temperatures, whiteouts, avalanches, snow, sleet, rain, and just about anything that can make the roads difficult to navigate – especially when pulling a load.
For those who do decide that ice road trucking is their thing, they typically make that decision because of the pay. There’s a season for this type of job, and it can be only a couple of months long. Their pay is based on the work they do during this season. That means they don’t have to work for the rest of the year, or they could opt to do other types of trucking and make even more.
How to Become a Truck Driver
If the thought of earning this much for driving a truck appeals to you, then there are some steps you’ll need to take to get your license and begin driving – a regular driver’s license simply isn’t going to be enough. The following are going to be important steps in starting your career.
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Get a CDL. A CDL is a Commercial Driver’s License; it is what you’ll need for one of those large and heavy trucks on the road. There are different types of CDLs, and then there are different endorsements you can get to increase the number of loads you’re authorized to haul. All of the extras are optional, but to drive the big rig, you will need that CDL.
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Be 21 years old. Sadly, you have no control over this part of your career. The Department of Transportation requires all professional truck drivers who cross state lines to be at least 21 years old. This doesn’t mean you can sit around just waiting until you’re 21.
The smart professional will get their license as soon as possible and then work on adding endorsements or finding a job working within the state to rack up some experience and on-the-road skills.
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Keep a clean record. Obviously, professional drivers are going to need to show that they are reliable on the road, which means keeping their driving records free to tickets and accidents. But a clean record goes further than that; most trucking companies will require drug and even alcohol screening.
And many also require background checks which can include your criminal record as well as a look at your credit history.
If you can hit those three truck driving requirements, then you’re ready for a life on the road, making money while racking up miles.
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Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
