CDL Truck Driver Salary in Illinois (2026)

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, cdl truck driver wages in Illinois vary by metro area, experience, and specialization. Below you will find detailed salary data and wage percentile breakdowns.

Cdl-And-Trucking Salary in Illinois

Median Salary $60,320 $29.00/hr
Average Salary $62,430 $30.01/hr
State National Diff
Median Wage $60,320 $58,640 +2.9%
Mean Wage $62,430 $59,710 +4.6%

Salary Range

$39,710 10th pctl
$60,320 Median
$86,300 90th pctl
10th Percentile $39,710 $19.09/hr
25th Percentile $48,550 $23.34/hr
75th Percentile $75,600 $36.35/hr
90th Percentile $86,300 $41.49/hr

Employment & Outlook

Total Employed84,200
Jobs per 1,00013.8

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (53-3032) • BLS OEWS, May 2025 • bls.gov/oes

CDL Truck Driver Wages by Metro Area in Illinois

Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Wages by Metro Area in Illinois

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers wages in Illinois vary by metro area.

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)
Experienced
(90th pctile)
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin62,210$62,300$65,170$41,300$88,230
St. Louis18,270$58,240$59,810$40,540$79,300
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island3,070$58,280$58,920$40,620$74,500
Peoria1,760$49,610$55,020$39,610$77,520
Rockford1,690$59,900$62,440$38,660$88,590
Bloomington1,070$54,610$57,410$35,290$79,450
Decatur990$59,100$62,550$34,910$97,090
Champaign-Urbana840$56,270$57,590$38,130$80,560
Kankakee760$46,750$50,830$33,770$76,780
Springfield750$50,350$55,790$40,150$79,810
Cape Girardeau730$50,200$55,150$36,900$77,050
Paducah660$50,520$55,050$38,990$74,490

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Understanding Wage Percentiles

Wage percentiles show how cdl truck driver salaries are distributed across Illinois. The 10th percentile represents entry-level wages, while the 90th percentile reflects what experienced professionals earn. The median (50th percentile) is the midpoint where half of cdl truck drivers earn more and half earn less.

These figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and reflect reported wages for Illinois. Actual earnings depend on employer, certifications, and years of experience.

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About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)