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How to become a truck driver in Pennsylvania
PennDOT issues the CDL under federal FMCSA rules: complete federal Entry-Level Driver Training and, for non-excepted driving, have a DOT medical examiner's certificate before the learner's permit is issued, which PennDOT accepts only electronically from FMCSA's National Registry. Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Pennsylvania earned a median $58,580 a year in May 2025 ($28.16 an hour).
Truck driver licensing in Pennsylvania
The licensing authority is Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). The pages each row was read from are listed under the table, with the date each was read.
| License | What it takes | Experience | Exam | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Learner's Permit (CLP) | Complete the CLP application (DL-31CD) and self-certification (DL-11CD), pay the fees, for non-excepted driving, have a medical examiner's certificate, which PennDOT accepts only electronically from FMCSA's National Registry, then pass the knowledge test(s). Hold the permit at least 15 days before the skills test. | — | Knowledge test (per class and endorsement) | included in the upgrade fee (Class A CDL row) |
| Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT, federal) | Since February 7, 2022, first-time Class A or B CDL applicants (and Class B holders upgrading to Class A) must complete the training with a provider on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry before the state skills test. | — | — | not published |
| Class A CDL | Hold the learner's permit, complete ELDT, and pass the modernized CDL skills test (vehicle inspection, basic control, on-road). PennDOT's fee to upgrade a non-commercial license to a commercial license runs from $43.50 (7 to 12 months before the license expires) to $109.50 (37 to 48 months before). The fee includes one permit and the photo fee. | — | CDL skills test | $43.50 to $109.50, by the months left on the license |
Renewal. Every 4 years (every 2 years at age 65 and older).
Licensing sources: PennDOT CDL Learner's Permit FAQs (retrieved 2026-09-16) · FMCSA ELDT Applicability (retrieved 2026-09-16) · 49 CFR 383.23 (commercial driver's license required) (retrieved 2026-09-23) · PennDOT: CDL skills test (retrieved 2026-09-24) · PennDOT driver license fees fact sheet (retrieved 2026-09-24) · PennDOT: commercial drivers (retrieved 2026-09-24). Requirements change; confirm with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) before you act.
The steps in order, with exams, fees and renewal → · Every fee here, itemised and totalled → · Compare time and cost across trades and states →
Common questions
Do you need a license to work as a truck driver in Pennsylvania?
PennDOT issues the CDL under federal FMCSA rules: complete federal Entry-Level Driver Training and, for non-excepted driving, have a DOT medical examiner's certificate before the learner's permit is issued, which PennDOT accepts only electronically from FMCSA's National Registry.
What does it cost to get licensed as a truck driver in Pennsylvania?
Fees are set by the issuing authority; each tier's fee, where published, is in the table above.
How long does it take to become a truck driver in Pennsylvania?
It depends on which credential you need and the training and testing each step takes; the full path is in the table above.
How much do truck drivers make in Pennsylvania?
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Pennsylvania earned a median $58,580 a year in May 2025, $28.16 an hour. That median is about the same as the national figure of $58,640, and Pennsylvania ranks 30 of 51 by pay for this trade.
How much do apprentice truck drivers make in Pennsylvania?
In fiscal 2023 (October 2022 to September 2023), among registered apprentices in Pennsylvania under the occupation titles the U.S. Department of Labor maps to heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, 282 apprentices started, at a median $15.00 an hour across the 282 whose starting wage DOL counts. Of those who completed that year, 39 have an exit wage DOL counts, fewer than the 50 a median needs. Wages are in that year's dollars.
What truck drivers earn in Pennsylvania
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers in Pennsylvania earned a median $58,580 a year in May 2025, $28.16 an hour. 87,550 people held the job, 14.4 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is about the same as the national figure of $58,640, and Pennsylvania ranks 30 of 51 by pay for this trade.
The full wage spread in Pennsylvania
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $20.94 | $43,560 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $23.83 | $49,570 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $28.16 | $58,580 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $31.65 | $65,830 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $37.66 | $78,330 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $28.67 | $59,640 | The average. Pulled up by the top earners. |
Annual figures are the hourly rate times 2,080 hours, BLS's full-time year. Overtime is inside the survey's earnings but not separated out.
Pay by metro area in Pennsylvania
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD employs the most truck drivers of the 16 metro areas based in Pennsylvania that BLS publishes, 32,220, at a median $59,370 a year. The best-paid is Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA at $61,520.
| Metro | Employed | Median annual | 10th pct | 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 32,220 | $59,370 | $46,850 | $79,590 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 14,620 | $57,880 | $42,970 | $76,810 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 6,800 | $61,520 | $47,360 | $82,280 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 6,590 | $60,090 | $45,380 | $80,310 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | 5,210 | $57,580 | $39,670 | $78,830 |
| Lancaster, PA | 5,080 | $58,350 | $39,740 | $78,480 |
| York-Hanover, PA | 3,500 | $58,590 | $45,540 | $78,090 |
| Reading, PA | 2,980 | $58,480 | $45,750 | $78,080 |
| Chambersburg, PA | 1,410 | $55,960 | $45,860 | $75,120 |
| Erie, PA | 1,380 | $54,770 | $39,220 | $73,920 |
| Lebanon, PA | 1,380 | $57,250 | $42,360 | $98,790 |
| Altoona, PA | 1,290 | $52,010 | $38,650 | $73,950 |
| Johnstown, PA | 800 | $49,980 | $36,010 | $66,180 |
| Williamsport, PA | 800 | $56,290 | $45,110 | $74,820 |
| State College, PA | 650 | $56,130 | $42,360 | $75,110 |
| Gettysburg, PA | 590 | $54,820 | $44,480 | $70,720 |
Metropolitan statistical areas as BLS publishes them in the same May 2025 estimates. A metro that crosses a state line is listed only under its primary state, so part of a neighboring state's metro can sit outside this table. Areas outside any metro are not shown.
Pennsylvania against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | South Dakota | $58,690 | 6,470 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $58,620 | 64,890 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $58,610 | 53,330 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $58,580 | 87,550 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $58,390 | 23,160 |
| 32 | Arizona | $58,080 | 40,150 |
| 33 | Iowa | $58,070 | 35,040 |
The complete ranking is on the Truck drivers (CDL) page.
Against the national figure
| Figure | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $58,580 | $58,640 |
| Median hourly | $28.16 | $28.19 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $43,560 | $40,140 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $78,330 | $79,380 |
| Employed | 87,550 | 2,062,040 |
Apprenticeships in Pennsylvania
U.S. Department of Labor records list 168 registered apprentices active in Pennsylvania in fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024) under the occupation titles DOL maps to heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (SOC 53-3032). The file's fiscal 2024 records largely stop after February 2024. In fiscal 2023, the latest year the file holds in full, 282 apprentices started, at a median $15.00 an hour across the 282 whose starting wage DOL counts. Of those who completed that year, 39 have an exit wage DOL counts, fewer than the 50 a median needs.
Find a registered program: DOL's Apprenticeship Finder → · What those wages come to at your hours a week → · Every state's count and wages for this trade →
Wages are DOL's own hourly figures in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Which wages DOL counts, which titles count and how the state is assigned are on the data page.
Other trades in Pennsylvania
Electricians ($67,600) · Plumbers and pipefitters ($68,080) · HVAC technicians ($62,400) · Welders ($52,900) · Lineworkers (power-line installers) ($106,230) · Elevator installers ($117,250) · Ironworkers ($82,970) · Sheet metal workers ($61,400) · Carpenters ($59,370) · Brickmasons and blockmasons ($69,560) · Auto service technicians ($49,800) · Diesel mechanics ($61,740) · Heavy equipment operators ($60,530) · Machinists ($57,810)
See all 15 ranked by pay in Pennsylvania.
The pay and employment figures on this page are the May 2025 BLS estimates, apart from the apprenticeship figures, which are DOL's; the licensing detail is read from the pages listed in the licensing section, each with the date it was read. See how the numbers are built.