Commercial Trucking recruiters serving Des Moines.
Des Moines has 46% more heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers per job than the country as a whole, about 7,840 in the metro. BLS counts 210 business locations of general freight trucking companies across the metro. Below: local pay for every role we staff and the nearby markets competing for the same people.
Positions we recruit for in Des Moines.
BLS counts about 14,050 people working in the occupations behind these roles across the Des Moines metro, the largest group being heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (about 7,840). Relative to the size of the local economy, heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers are far more concentrated here than nationally (location quotient 1.46). Local headcount and pay for each role are below; role descriptions are on the Commercial Trucking hub.
CDL-A Truck Driver
Sample job description →Des Moines: 7,840 employed · $60,720 median, 23rd-highest of 112 metros
CDL-B Truck Driver
Sample job description →Des Moines: 3,470 employed · $43,200 median, 60th-highest of 112 metros
Dispatcher / Fleet Coordinator
Des Moines: 510 employed · $44,730 median, 102nd-highest of 111 metros
Fleet Manager
Des Moines: 470 employed · $100,880 median, 75th-highest of 112 metros
Safety & Compliance Manager (DOT)
Des Moines: 1,560 employed · $84,590 median, 23rd-highest of 112 metros
Diesel Mechanic / Fleet Technician
Des Moines: 1,050 employed · $61,630 median, 58th-highest of 112 metros
Logistics Coordinator
Des Moines: 350 employed · $44,240 median, 89th-highest of 96 metros
Driver Recruiter
Des Moines: 2,450 employed · $71,600 median, 59th-highest of 112 metros
Terminal Manager
Route / Delivery Supervisor
Des Moines: 1,690 employed · $61,340 median, 72nd-highest of 112 metros
The roles behind most of our Des Moines, IA searches in this trade: CDL-B Truck Driver and CDL-A Truck Driver.
What Commercial Trucking roles earn in Des Moines.
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Des Moines earn a median $60,720, 4% over the $58,640 national figure, and 23rd of 112 metros. Pay runs $43,950 at the tenth percentile to $79,240 at the ninetieth. The best-paid role below is bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists, at $61,630 against $61,770 nationally.
| Role | Des Moines median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CDL-A Truck DriverHeavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (53-3032) | $60,720 | $43,950–$79,240 | $58,640 | +4% | 7,840 |
| CDL-B Truck DriverLight Truck Drivers (53-3033) | $43,200 | $31,080–$60,630 | $44,860 | −4% | 3,470 |
| Dispatcher / Fleet CoordinatorDispatchers (43-5032) | $44,730 | $41,140–$68,800 | $50,340 | −11% | 510 |
| Fleet Manager · Terminal ManagerTransportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers (11-3071) | $100,880 | $72,000–$168,050 | $107,230 | −6% | 470 |
| Safety & Compliance Manager (DOT)Compliance Officers (13-1041) | $84,590 | $54,600–$134,720 | $80,730 | +5% | 1,560 |
| Diesel Mechanic / Fleet TechnicianBus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists (49-3031) | $61,630 | $46,560–$79,260 | $61,770 | 0% | 1,050 |
| Logistics CoordinatorCargo and Freight Agents (43-5011) | $44,240 | $41,400–$66,060 | $52,260 | −15% | 350 |
| Driver RecruiterHuman Resources Specialists (13-1071) | $71,600 | $46,940–$120,470 | $75,940 | −6% | 2,450 |
| Route / Delivery SupervisorFirst-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers (53-1047) | $61,340 | $42,800–$87,900 | $62,890 | −2% | 1,690 |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Des Moines metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile; management and office roles are metro-wide. A metro ranking counts only the metros where BLS publishes that occupation.
How Des Moines's commercial trucking market has changed since 2018.
The number of general freight trucking companies in Des Moines rose from 180 in 2018 to 210 in 2023, up 17%, behind the 49% growth nationally. Their combined payroll headcount barely moved, at about 4,880. Average annual pay there went from $58,397 to $75,032 (+28%), faster than the 23% national increase, a sign employers here have had to bid up.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General freight trucking companies: business locations | 180 | 210 | +17% |
| General freight trucking companies: employment | 4,789 | 4,880 | +2% |
| General freight trucking companies: average annual pay | $58,397 | $75,032 | +28% |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers, annual averages. A dash means BLS did not publish the figure.
Free Commercial Trucking hiring resources.
Definitive Guide to Commercial Trucking · 2026 Commercial Trucking Salary Guide · 3-Step Interview Guide for Commercial Trucking
Des Moines runs 46% more commercial trucking workers per job than the country as a whole — well above the national concentration. More per job means more people to reach, and more employers reaching them.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 , Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers. Metro-wide figures for the base occupation; the wage table above is role-specific and commercial.
How Des Moines's commercial trucking market compares
Among the 100 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Des Moines ranks 51st for headcount, 21st for median pay and 12th for concentration for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers.
What this means for hiring:For commercial trucking employers in Des Moines, the pool is deep but local employers have been cutting headcount. Experienced people are here, and some will be open to a move, so a clear offer and a defined path up usually beat a higher posted rate.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Des Moines metro. Employers are counted by business location.
Nearby markets competing for Des Moines talent.
The closest metro we cover is Omaha, about 125 miles away, with roughly 10,210 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (1.3 times Des Moines's 7,840). Minneapolis pays the most nearby, a $64,200 median, 6% above Des Moines. That is the number any Des Moines offer is competing with when experienced people weigh a move. Minneapolis has the deepest pool within reach, so a search for senior roles here usually extends there.
| Metro | Distance | Employed | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | – | 7,840 | $60,720 |
| Omaha | 123 mi | 10,210 | $58,010 |
| Kansas City | 180 mi | 18,230 | $60,170 |
| Minneapolis | 234 mi | 20,430 | $64,200 |
| Madison | 238 mi | 4,160 | $59,700 |
| St. Louis | 273 mi | 18,270 | $58,240 |
BLS OEWS, May 2025; straight-line miles.
What else is competing for Des Moines crews.
Not commercial trucking work. These are the capital projects big enough to pull the same crews into Des Moines in the months you are trying to fill a seat, each with the status its own market page reports.
- Microsoft "Ruthenium" data center$210M+ (part of $6B+ total Microsoft investment in West Des Moines)Construction starting 2026
A 245,000 sq ft first-phase facility housing computer equipment and large-scale web portal services - the latest addition to Microsoft's five existing West Des Moines data center campuses.
- Microsoft Project Ginger West Data Center$1B+Multi-year buildout
A separate ~188-acre campus planned for approximately 1.8 million sq ft of data center space across multiple buildings.
- Weitz data center campusUndisclosed (192-MW capacity)Under construction
A 192-megawatt data center campus in West Des Moines being built for a confidential client.
Showing 3 of 4 projects tracked in this metro. The Des Moines market page lists them all.
What credentials matter for commercial trucking, and what kills offers in Des Moines.
The 4 credentials that gate the work and the 4 things that most often end a commercial trucking offer are the same in every market, kept in one place: Commercial Trucking credentials and offer risks, each linked to the body that issues it. What is local is the licensing rule above and the pay further up this page.
Is Des Moines a linehaul market or a last-mile one?
Des Moines carries 7,840 heavy and tractor-trailer drivers against 3,470 light-truck drivers, 2.3 to one against a 1.8 median, 36th of 112 on that ratio.
Concentration says more than the split: a 1.46 location quotient, 46% more heavy-truck drivers per job than the country, so the depth is there whichever way the mix reads.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (53-3032) against light truck drivers (53-3033), across the 112 metros BLS publishes both series for.
Frequently asked - Commercial Trucking hiring in Des Moines.
What do heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers earn in Des Moines?
BLS puts the Des Moines median for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers at $60,720 a year, 4% above the $58,640 national median. That ranks 23rd of 112 metros with published figures, in the top quarter. Most of the market sits between $43,950 and $79,240, a 1.8x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience.
Is it hard to hire heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in Des Moines?
Not by national standards. Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers make up 46% more of the Des Moines workforce than they do nationally, about 7,840 people. The 210 general freight trucking companies here average about 23 employees per location. With 17% more of those firms than in 2018, more employers are competing for the same crews.
Which commercial trucking roles pay the most in Des Moines?
Of the roles we recruit for, Fleet Manager pays the most in Des Moines, a $100,880 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Diesel Mechanic / Fleet Technician at $61,630, 39% below it. CDL-B Truck Driver is the lowest-paid field role at $43,200. Relative to national pay, Safety & Compliance Manager (DOT) is the strongest-paying role here (5% above). Logistics Coordinator trails national pay the most (15% below).
How many general freight trucking companies operate in Des Moines?
BLS counted 210 general freight trucking companies in Des Moines in 2023, employing about 4,880 people between them. Up from 180 in 2018, a 17% increase against 49% growth nationally. That averages 23 people per location. They pay an average of $75,032, 14% above the $65,587 national average for the same kind of employer.
Which nearby metros compete with Des Moines for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Omaha (123 miles, about 10,210, $58,010 median), Kansas City (180 miles, about 18,230, $60,170 median) and Minneapolis (234 miles, about 20,430, $64,200 median). Kansas City has the larger pool, so it is the first place to look for senior people willing to move. Minneapolis pays 6% more, which is where Des Moines employers tend to lose people.
Plenty of people. Few of them looking.
Des Moines has one of the deeper pools of heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers we cover, but the best of them are already working. Let's find the ones ready to move.
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