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Driver Pay Calculator for Owner Operators

Figure net pay with taxes, deductions, and bonuses. A print-ready pay stub is included.

Pay Type

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State tax rates are simple estimates. Your real withholding may be different.

Enter pay details and click Calculate Pay

Numbers tight? Let a dispatcher find better loads.

This tool is free. If it shows you are leaving money on the road, Grow Trucking finds loads, negotiates rates and does the paperwork for owner-operators and small fleets.

Talk to a dispatcher Call (845) 400-9179

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How do I compare different truck driver pay structures?

Truck driver pay comes in several structures: cents per mile (CPM), percentage of the load, hourly, salary, or a mix. To compare them fairly, turn every offer into a rate per mile or per hour using your real miles and hours, not just the headline number. A company driver paid as an employee cannot deduct per diem on a personal return. Only a carrier's own per diem pay plan can give it tax-free, and it lowers the wages shown on the pay stub.

  1. Convert every pay offer to the same unit: dollars per mile, or dollars per hour, using your typical miles or hours.
  2. For percentage pay, estimate the load revenue you would typically run and work out what your percentage nets per mile.
  3. Add any accessorial pay (detention, stop pay, layover) you would realistically earn, since base rate alone understates total pay.
  4. If a carrier offers a per diem pay plan, ask how it changes your taxable wages. Lower reported wages can mean less Social Security credit and can affect loan approval, even when take-home pay looks similar.
  5. Compare the final effective rate per mile or per hour across every offer, not the headline pay structure.
Common truck driver pay structures
StructureHow it's calculated
Cents-per-mile (CPM)A fixed rate times miles driven, loaded and sometimes empty
Percentage of loadA set percentage of the load's revenue, so pay varies with the rate booked
HourlyA fixed rate times hours worked, common for local and some regional runs
SalaryA fixed amount regardless of miles or hours, less common for driving roles

The IRS special per diem rate for the transportation industry is $80 a day within the continental United States and $86 outside it, per IRS Notice 2026-60. The tool figures tax for a single filer, takes Social Security only up to the $184,500 wage base and adds the extra 0.9 percent Medicare tax above $200,000. Truck drivers are generally exempt from federal overtime under the Motor Carrier Act exemption, so check your pay plan for any overtime terms.

Last reviewed October 2026. Sources: IRS: Notice 2026-60, Special Per Diem Rates; US Department of Labor: Fact Sheet #19, motor carrier exemption; IRS Notice 2026-10: unreimbursed employee expenses stay disallowed.

Frequently Asked Questions - Driver Pay Calculator

Cents-per-mile or percentage pay: which is better for a truck driver?
Cents-per-mile (CPM) pay is predictable and easy to track regardless of what the load pays. Percentage-of-load pay can pay more on high-value freight but less on cheap freight, since your pay moves directly with the rate the carrier or broker books. Many drivers prefer CPM for its consistency, but the better choice depends on the lanes and freight you typically run.
How do I calculate my real take-home pay as a truck driver?
Start from gross pay and subtract federal and state income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare tax, health insurance premiums, and any retirement contributions. The exact percentage withheld depends on your filing status, state and benefit elections, so use your actual pay stub or a current tax calculator rather than a flat estimate.
What tax deductions can truck drivers claim?
Owner-operators and other self-employed drivers can generally claim the IRS transportation-industry per diem rate ($80 a day within the continental U.S. for travel on or after October 1, 2026, per IRS Notice 2026-60), along with truck maintenance, phone, GPS, scale fees, showers and other business expenses. Company drivers generally cannot claim per diem as an unreimbursed employee expense after the 2018 tax law change, unless their carrier runs its own per-diem pay program.
Do truck drivers get overtime pay?
Usually not. Federal law exempts most drivers of heavy trucks that cross state lines from overtime under the Motor Carrier Act exemption. The exemption does not cover work on vehicles of 10,000 pounds or less. Some states and some carriers have their own overtime terms, so check your pay agreement. The US Department of Labor explains the rule in Fact Sheet #19.
Why does my Social Security tax stop partway through the year?
Social Security tax of 6.2 percent applies only to wages up to a yearly limit, which is $184,500 for 2026. Above it, you pay only Medicare. The calculator handles this. A driver earning $260,000 a year stops paying Social Security tax partway through the year, and pays an extra 0.9 percent Medicare tax on wages over $200,000.

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