CDLs, Politics, and the Middle-Class Promise: Is Trucking Still Worth It in 2025?

For decades, earning a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) has symbolized working-class mobility, a way for everyday Americans to leap into middle-class earnings without a college degree. But with trucking now pulled into political debates, immigration policy fights, and economic uncertainty, many are asking whether that promise still holds. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers is approximately $54,320, while private carriers and specialized haulers regularly advertise wages in the $75,000–$90,000 range for experienced drivers.¹ Industry analysts and training schools note that demand remains historically strong, driven by supply chain needs and a persistent driver shortage, which has led to higher pay, sign-on bonuses, and tuition reimbursement for CDL programs. Meanwhile, institutions like the National Transportation Institute confirm that trucking remains one of the highest-earning blue-collar trades still accessible without a college degree, ranking above many skilled labor fields.

However, the path to upward mobility is no longer automatic. The recent debate over non-domiciled CDL holders and federal enforcement highlights how immigration, regulation, and labor policy directly affect who gets to participate in the industry. Political figures, including former President Donald Trump, who publicly tied CDL access to immigration and workforce reforms, have turned truck driving into a symbolic battleground for American middle-class identity, often portraying CDL holders as the “backbone” of the economy. But behind the rhetoric, the economics are real: entry-level pay still hovers around $48,000–$55,000, and only drivers who secure higher-paying freight, endorsements, overtime, or owner-operator status break far into middle-class territory. And with inflation, volatile freight rates, unsafe working conditions, and high turnover, many drivers argue that the job still pays, but not always pays enough to justify the sacrifice. In 2025, a CDL can absolutely still be a pathway into the middle class, but it’s no longer a guaranteed one. It now depends on freight choices, policy outcomes, and the willingness to grind in an industry where the reward is real…but so are the risks.