The CDL & trucking comparison engine
Find the CDL school or trucking company that pays you the most
We compare CDL schools and trucking companies nationwide by driver pay — broken down from your first day to veteran-level rates — and the real cost of getting your CDL. Pick one and register your interest in one click.
Which one are you?
Why this matters
Trucking pays wildly differently depending on who you sign with — and most people find out only after they've already committed. We built this to put real numbers side by side before you decide, not after.
is the gap between the lowest and highest fresh-start pay in this list — same first day on the job, very different paychecks. Most drivers never see this side by side before they sign up.
Browsing costs nothing and there's no obligation. Register interest only when you're ready, and only with the school or carrier you actually want.
Sponsored placements are clearly labeled and never change where a company lands in the ranking below — every rank is pay, full stop.
How it works
Three steps, no cost, no obligation.
1. Compare real numbers
Browse pay, training cost, and benefits for 18+ schools and carriers side by side — no sign-up required to look.
2. Pick who fits you
Found the right one? Register your interest in one click — or register once and let every school on the list reach out to you.
3. They reach out to you
Your info goes straight to the school or carrier's admissions or recruiting team — no separate forms on five different sites.
| Rank | School | Type | Pay ladder (est. annual) | CDL cost | Fleet size | Route types | States served | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stevens Transport | Company-sponsored | Fresh Start~$70,000/yrJunior~$84,000/yrExpert~$105,000/yrSolo~$120,000/yr | $0 (sponsored) | ~2,500 trucks | RegionalOTRDedicated | Nationwide | View & Register |
| 2 | U.S. Xpress | Company-sponsored | Fresh Start~$57,500/yrJunior~$69,000/yrExpert~$86,000/yrSolo~$112,500/yr | $5,200 | — | RegionalOTRDedicated | Nationwide | View & Register |
| 3 | Swift Transportation (Swift Academy) | Company-sponsored | Fresh Start~$55,000/yrJunior~$66,000/yrExpert~$83,000/yrSolo~$120,000/yr | $6,000 | — | LocalRegionalOTRDedicated | Nationwide | View & Register |
| 4 | KLLM Transport Services | Company-sponsored | Fresh Start~$55,000/yrJunior~$66,000/yrExpert~$83,000/yrSolo~$120,000/yr | $0 (sponsored) | ~2,730 trucks | LocalRegionalOTRDedicated | Nationwide | View & Register |
| 5 | TransAm Trucking | Company-sponsored | Fresh Start~$55,000/yrJunior~$66,000/yrExpert~$83,000/yrSolo~$120,000/yr | Not disclosed | — | LocalRegionalOTRDedicated | Nationwide | View & Register |
| 6 | Werner Enterprises | Company-sponsored | Fresh Start~$50,000/yrJunior~$62,000/yrExpert~$75,000/yrSolo~$120,000/yr | Not disclosed | ~9,808 trucks | LocalRegionalOTRDedicated | Nationwide | View & Register |
| 7 | May Trucking Company | Company-sponsored | Fresh Start~$48,000/yrJunior~$58,000/yrExpert~$72,000/yrSolo~$120,000/yr | Not disclosed | ~1,080 trucks | OTRRegional | Nationwide | View & Register |
| 8 | Prime Inc. | Company-sponsored | Fresh Start~$46,800/yrJunior~$56,000/yrExpert~$70,000/yrSolo~$120,000/yr | $0 (sponsored) | ~9,681 trucks | RegionalOTRDedicated | Nationwide | View & Register |
| 9 | Roehl Transport (Get Your CDL program) | Company-sponsored | Fresh Start~$46,000/yrJunior~$59,500/yrExpert~$73,000/yrSolo~$120,000/yr | $0 (sponsored) | ~2,200 trucks | LocalRegionalOTRDedicated | Nationwide | View & Register |
| 10 | Schneider | Company-sponsored | Fresh Start~$43,000/yrJunior~$52,000/yrExpert~$65,000/yrSolo~$120,000/yr | $0 (sponsored) | ~14,500 trucks | LocalRegionalOTRDedicated | Nationwide | View & Register |
| 11 | Western Express | Company-sponsored | Fresh Start~$38,000/yrJunior~$50,500/yrExpert~$63,000/yrSolo~$162,500/yr | $70 | ~3,600 trucks | RegionalOTRDedicated | Nationwide | View & Register |
| 12 | Covenant Transport | Company-sponsored | Fresh Start~$31,200/yrJunior~$50,600/yrExpert~$70,000/yrSolo~$120,000/yr | $0 (sponsored) | ~2,546 trucks | RegionalOTRDedicated | Nationwide | View & Register |
| 13 | CRST | Company-sponsored | Fresh Start~$30,000/yrJunior~$33,000/yrExpert~$110,000/yrSolo~$120,000/yr | $0 (sponsored) | ~3,335 trucks | LocalRegionalOTRDedicated | Nationwide | View & Register |
| 14 | C.R. England | Company-sponsored | Fresh Start~$26,000/yrJunior~$27,300/yrExpert~$60,000/yrSolo~$120,000/yr | $4,995 | ~4,254 trucks | LocalRegionalOTRDedicated | Nationwide | View & Register |
Pay and cost figures are gathered from public sources and program disclosures. Always confirm current terms directly with the school before enrolling. Ranking is based solely on estimated pay — sponsorship (see Featured Partners above) never affects it. Don't see a school or carrier here? Request to have them added.
Free tools to get you there
No account, no cost — just resources to help you pick the right path and pass the test.
Frequently asked questions
What is CDL Compare?
A free site that compares CDL schools and trucking companies nationwide by driver pay and training cost, so you can pick with real numbers instead of guessing.
Is it really free for drivers?
Yes. Browsing the comparison table and registering interest cost nothing, and always will. There's no premium tier on the driver side of the site.
How does CDL Compare make money?
Schools and carriers can optionally pay for a lead-management dashboard or a featured, clearly-labeled sponsored placement — see pricing for schools & carriers. Sponsorship never changes the pay-based ranking above.
Where does the pay and cost data come from?
Public sources like each company's own career pages and Transport Topics' carrier rankings, with a source link on every school's detail page. Figures labeled "Industry Est." are ballpark estimates, not company-published numbers — see the 2026 Pay Report for full methodology.
Is my information secure?
We don't sell your data to unrelated third parties. Schools only see your info if you register with them directly, or if you opt into general interest (shared with every school). Full details in our Privacy Policy.