In the United States, the national average salary of hazmat truck drivers ranges from $55,400 to $78,100 per year, or from $26.63 to $38 per hour.
Please note that the salary of the average hazmat driver can be higher or lower and this is attributed to some factors that we will discuss in this article.
For example, the highest salary for a Hazmat Truck Driver in the United States is $118,925 per year and the lowest salary is $51,067 per year.
Basically, a hazmat truck driver is a truck driver that is involved in the transportation of hazardous materials or what is known as high-risk materials (such as flammable gas, explosives, poison gas, oxygen, oxidizing substances, combustible liquids or solids, toxic materials, corrosive materials, biohazardous materials, and radioactive materials et al) from one location to another within the country.
Before a truck driver can qualify to work as a hazmat truck driver, the truck driver must undergo rigorous training and should also obtain the required certifications (the hazmat and tanker certifications), permits (A hazardous materials safety permit (HMSP), and licenses (commercial driver’s license CDL).
Factors That Determine the Income of a Hazmat Truck Driver
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The Years of Experience and Qualifications of the Hazmat Truck Driver
One of the significant factors that will determine how much a hazmat truck driver is expected to make yearly in the United States of America is the years of experience and qualifications of the driver. The truth is that people with higher experience and qualifications usually earn more than freshers in the industry.
As an experienced and well-qualified hazmat truck driver, you are not expected to pick entry-level hazmat jobs but jobs that require expertise. These are the jobs that pay some of the highest salaries in the United States.
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The Location of Operation
Another factor that will determine the yearly salary of a hazmat truck driver is the location where the hazmat truck driver is operating from. This is important because different cities and states in the U.S. have different pay scales for hazmat truck drivers.
For example, hazmat truck drivers in Berkeley, California make about $76,860 yearly, $6,405 monthly, $1,478 weekly, and $36.95 hourly.
Whereas a hazmat truck driver in Tacoma, Washington makes $72,114 yearly, $6,009 monthly, $1,386 weekly, and $34.67 hourly. These are some of the highest-paying cities for hazmat drivers in the United States. So, if you are looking to earn more as a hazmat truck driver, then you should consider heading to California or Washington.
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The Company You Choose to Work For
The company a hazmat truck driver chooses to work for is yet another factor that will determine the salary the hazmat truck driver is expected to make yearly. Despite the fact that there is a salary range for hazmat truck drivers, some companies still choose to pay higher than the industry’s average.
For example, companies like; The Schiber Truck Company, Hazmat Environmental Group Inc., Boyle Transportation, CAST Transportation, and Patriot Freight Group pay the highest salaries for hazmat truck drivers. If you are recruited by such a company, you will earn more than most hazmat truck drivers in your cadre.
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The Materials You Are Transporting and the Distance
Lastly, another factor that will determine how much a hazmat truck driver is expected to make is the type of materials the hazmat truck driver is transporting and the distance they are expected to cover.
Interestingly, hazardous materials have different levels of risk, and the riskier the hazardous materials you are transporting, the higher the pay you will make. This is so because working with dangerous materials exposes people to all sorts of things that can affect their health and overall well-being hence they use money to lure people to engage in such ventures.
In conclusion,
Working as a hazmat truck driver might be a risky career, but the fact remains that hazmat truck drivers earn more than other truck drivers, and they earn enough to cover the risks they are usually exposed to. Besides, most hazmat truck drivers are insured by the company they are working for.
So, if you are looking for a hazmat trucking job, then you should ensure you did not only choose a company that will pay you more but also a company that will protect your health and overall well-being.