Do you love the freedom of the open road? Enjoy driving through new landscapes, visiting new cities, and touring our beautiful country? Then why not get paid for it?
By becoming a truck driver, you could experience all the freedom and independence the road offers you, while earning a good living doing it.
In fact, the average salary range for truck drivers is between $52,518 and $126,882 a year.[1] But some truck drivers can earn even more. You see, there are many different types of truck drivers who haul different types of loads and have earned different types of class certifications; meaning your salary range can depend on which kind of trucking license you get.
Now, if you dream of touring America and earning a good salary driving big rigs, or other commercial motor vehicles, you’ll first need to get your commercial driver’s license, or CDL. A CDL is a mandatory requirement by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) for all commercial/semi-truck drivers. [2]
But getting your CDL may not be as hard as you think. SchoolMatchPro.com can connect you directly with a truck driving school in your area. We’ll show you how long truck driving school takes, and how to find one near you in just a minute. First…
Generally speaking, before you earn your CDL, there are some basic requirements you must meet. Here’ are a few of them:
- You must have a valid non-commercial driver’s license
- You must be at least 18 for intrastate, or 21 to drive interstate
- You must have at least one or two years of driving experience
- You’ll need a valid medical certification
- And you can’t have an active license suspension.
If you fit these five general requirements, all you need to do next, is apply to truck driving school to earn your CDL… and the open road awaits!
So, how long does truck driving school take?
Well, depending on whether you enroll in a CDL school full time or part time, you could potentially earn your commercial driver’s license in as little as two months; that is if you’re a full-time driving student. For part timers, it could take you several months to complete your schooling.[3]
But either way, CDL school doesn’t take too long compared to other types of schooling like college.
How much does CDL school cost?
A CDL school is relatively inexpensive compared to college. The cost to earn your CDL ranges by school but is generally anywhere from about $2,000 to $5,000, depending on the type of CDL you want.[4]
Keep in mind, the average cost of college is now $36,436 per year, including all your classes, books, and living expenses.[5] That’s per year!
And like we showed you earlier, the average truck driver salary is between $52,518 and $126,882 a year. But the average salary of a college graduate is $69,381 a year.[6]
Meaning you could earn a similar salary to a college grad, without all the college debt!
Apples to apples, getting your CDL could be a great way to earn a solid salary. So if you’re a lover of the open road, and want to earn money driving, getting your CDL could be very well worth it!
Here’s how to find a CDL school near you: Simply visit SchoolMatchPro.com, and we can connect you directly to a CDL school that best fits your needs. Whether you want to learn how to drive a truck by going to CDL school full-time or part-time, we can help get your new career in trucking started!
The freedom of the open road awaits.
[1] 10 Highest Paying Trucking Salaries of 2023 (cloudtrucks.com)
[2] Can I Drive A Semi Truck Without CDL? | Mission Financial Services
[3] CDL Training in Florida | Requirements and Cost of Truck Driving School (alltrucking.com)
[4] Can I Drive A Semi Truck Without CDL? | Mission Financial Services
[5] Average Cost of College [2023]: Yearly Tuition + Expenses (educationdata.org)
[6] Average Salary by Education Level: Value of a College Degree (northeastern.edu)