About the Truck Driver Pay Calculator
This truck driver pay calculator estimates gross pay for a company driver under the three common pay structures: cents per mile (CPM), a percentage of the load’s linehaul revenue, or an hourly wage with optional overtime. On top of base pay it adds accessorial pay — extra stop pay, detention pay for time stuck at shippers and receivers, layover pay and any weekly bonus — and turns everything into weekly and annual totals.
It is built for drivers comparing job offers, recruiters explaining a pay package, and fleet managers modelling driver cost. Because offers are quoted in different ways, the calculator also converts every result into an effective cents per mile and an effective hourly rate over the hours you actually work, which is the fairest way to compare a 60-cent CPM job with a 27% percentage job or a $26/hour local route.
Results are gross pay before taxes and deductions. Overtime is optional because many interstate truck drivers fall under the Fair Labor Standards Act’s Motor Carrier Act exemption and are not paid overtime, while many local and intrastate hourly drivers are; check your employer’s policy and your state’s rules. Owner-operators should use a load profit or cost-per-mile calculator instead, since they pay their own truck expenses.
With the default inputs, the gross pay per week is $1,615.00. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the truck driver pay calculator
- 1Choose how you are paid: per mile, a percentage of the load, or hourly.
- 2Enter weekly miles and your rate, revenue and percentage, or hourly rate.
- 3Enter the hours you actually work in a typical week.
- 4Add extra stops, detention, layovers and any weekly bonus.
- 5Compare weekly, annual, effective per-mile and effective hourly pay between offers.
Formula and method
Base pay depends on the structure. Cents-per-mile pay multiplies paid miles by the rate per mile. Percentage pay multiplies the linehaul revenue of your loads by your percentage. Hourly pay multiplies hours by the hourly rate, and if an overtime threshold is set, hours above it are paid at the rate times the overtime multiplier.
Accessorial pay — extra stops, detention hours, layovers and any weekly bonus — is added to base pay to give weekly gross, which is multiplied by the weeks worked per year for annual gross. Effective pay per mile divides weekly gross by miles, and effective hourly divides it by hours worked, so different pay structures can be compared on the same basis.
- CPM
- Rate per paid mile
- %
- Driver’s share of linehaul revenue
- m
- Overtime multiplier (e.g. 1.5)
Worked examples
OTR company driver at 60 cents per mile
2,500 miles × $0.60 = $1,500 base pay. Three extra stops at $25 and two hours of detention at $20 add $115, for $1,615 a week. Over 50 weeks that is $80,750 a year — $0.646 per mile, or $26.92 an hour over a 60-hour week.
Percentage pay: 28% of $7,200 linehaul
28% of $7,200 is $2,016 of base pay; with $115 of accessorials the week pays $2,131, or $106,550 over 50 weeks. Across 2,500 miles that is about 85 cents per mile — percentage pay rewards drivers who haul higher-paying freight.
Local hourly driver with overtime after 40 hours
40 hours at $25 is $1,000 and the 10 overtime hours at $37.50 add $375, for $1,375 a week. That is $68,750 over 50 weeks, or $27.50 per hour worked on average.
Frequently asked questions
How much do truck drivers make per mile?+
Company driver CPM rates vary widely with experience, freight type and region — new drivers are often offered lower rates and experienced or specialised drivers (hazmat, flatbed, team) more. Compare offers on effective pay per mile and per hour, including accessorials, not just the headline rate.
How do I convert cents per mile to hourly pay?+
Multiply your weekly paid miles by your CPM rate to get weekly pay, then divide by the hours you actually work, including loading, waiting and inspections. 2,500 miles × $0.60 = $1,500, which over a 60-hour week is $25 an hour.
Is percentage pay better than cents per mile?+
Percentage pay is better when you haul high-rate freight or the market is strong, because your pay rises with the load’s revenue. CPM pay is more predictable when rates fall. Check whether the percentage applies to linehaul only or includes fuel surcharge and accessorials.
Do truck drivers get overtime?+
Many interstate drivers are exempt from federal overtime under the FLSA’s Motor Carrier Act exemption, so they are paid by the mile or load without overtime. Local and intrastate drivers paid hourly often do receive overtime after 40 hours, depending on federal and state rules and the employer.
What is detention pay?+
Detention pay compensates drivers for time held at a shipper or receiver beyond a free period, commonly the first two hours. Carriers typically pay drivers a set amount per hour after that, but policies differ, so ask how detention is tracked and paid.
Results are estimates for educational purposes and are not financial advice. Rates, fees and terms vary — confirm with your lender or a licensed advisor before making decisions.