Career comparison
Truck driver vs. Electrician
Electricians earn more: a median of $63,190, $4,550 (8%) above truck drivers at $58,640.
Electricians have the stronger outlook: +9% projected growth through 2035, vs. +4%.
Getting in is faster for truck drivers: about 14 months vs. 4.6 years for someone with a bachelor's in another field.
At a glance
| Truck driver | Electrician | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $58,640 | $63,190 |
| Top 10% earn over | $79,380 | $108,510 |
| Growth to 2035 | +4% | +9% |
| Openings per year | 214,500 | 72,700 |
| Jobs today | 2,221,200 | 821,000 |
| Typical entry education | Postsecondary nondegree award | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Time to qualify* | 14 months | 4.6 years |
| Training cost* | $3K–$10K | $100–$5.5K |
* Starting from a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35.
Pay
Truck driver
Electrician
Switching from one to the other
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Getting in
Truck driver
- Entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
Required: Commercial driver's license (CDL-A) · DOT medical card
Electrician
- Entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Apprenticeship
- Prior experience
- None
Required: Journeyman electrician license exam (most states)
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Truck driver: 80% usually work over 40 hours a weekElectrician: 35% usually work over 40 hours a week
Truck driver: core tasks
- Check all load-related documentation for completeness and accuracy.
- Inspect loads to ensure that cargo is secure.
- Check vehicles to ensure that mechanical, safety, and emergency equipment is in good working order.
- Crank trailer landing gear up or down to safely secure vehicles.
- Obtain receipts or signatures for delivered goods and collect payment for services when required.
Electrician: core tasks
- Prepare sketches or follow blueprints to determine the location of wiring or equipment and to ensure conformance to building and safety codes.
- Place conduit, pipes, or tubing, inside designated partitions, walls, or other concealed areas, and pull insulated wires or cables through the conduit to complete circuits between boxes.
- Work from ladders, scaffolds, or roofs to install, maintain, or repair electrical wiring, equipment, or fixtures.
- Use a variety of tools or equipment, such as power construction equipment, measuring devices, power tools, and testing equipment, such as oscilloscopes, ammeters, or test lamps.
- Assemble, install, test, or maintain electrical or electronic wiring, equipment, appliances, apparatus, or fixtures, using hand tools or power tools.
Skills: what carries over
Both rely on: Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Troubleshooting, Active Listening.
New for a truck driver moving to electrician: Repairing, Active Learning, Installation, Quality Control Analysis, Judgment and Decision Making.
New for an electrician moving to truck driver: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Monitoring, Time Management, Equipment Maintenance.
Interests (Holland codes): Truck driver: Realistic, Conventional, Investigative. Electrician: Realistic, Conventional, Investigative.
Outlook to 2035, and AI
Truck driver
+4%
about as fast as average · 214,500 openings a year
BLS lists no specific factors, including AI, changing demand for this job.
Electrician
+9%
faster than average · 72,700 openings a year
BLS lists no specific factors, including AI, changing demand for this job.
Quoted notes: BLS Employment Projections, factors affecting occupational utilization (Table 1.12). Average growth across all jobs: +3.5%.
Questions people ask
Who makes more, a truck driver or an electrician?
Electricians earn more: a median of $63,190, $4,550 (8%) above truck drivers at $58,640.
Which has the better job outlook?
Electricians have the stronger outlook: +9% projected growth through 2035, vs. +4%.
How long does it take to become an electrician?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 4.6 years, with tuition of roughly $100 to $5,500. Required: Journeyman electrician license exam (most states).
How long does it take to become a truck driver?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 14 months, with tuition of roughly $3,000 to $10,000. Required: Commercial driver's license (CDL-A), DOT medical card.