The decision to become an owner-operator versus stay as a company driver is the single biggest financial choice in a trucking career. The headline owner-operator gross numbers ($200,000 to $300,000+ annually) are real, but so are the expenses. Here's the honest math for a typical OTR Class A driver in 2024–2025.
Company driver — actual take-home
A solo OTR company driver running 110,000 miles per year at $0.62/mile grosses $68,200. After federal/state/FICA taxes (roughly 22% effective), take-home is about $53,200, or $1,023 per week. The carrier provides truck, fuel, insurance, maintenance, dispatch, and most paperwork. The driver pays for: meals on the road ($35 to $60/day), personal items, parking, and any equipment they choose to bring.
Owner-operator — gross revenue
An owner-operator running the same 110,000 miles per year at $2.20/mile (line-haul rate including fuel surcharge) grosses $242,000. That's nearly 4x the company-driver headline. But essentially all operating expenses come out of that gross.
Owner-operator — typical expenses
Truck payment (financed over 5 years on a $130,000 used tractor): $28,000/year. Fuel (110,000 miles at 6.5 mpg @ $4.10/gallon avg): $69,400. Insurance (cargo, liability, physical damage, occupational accident): $16,500. Maintenance and repairs (industry average $0.18/mile): $19,800. Tires (4 sets per year on long-haul): $4,200. Permits and licensing (IFTA, IRP, 2290 HVUT): $2,800. ELD service, fleet card fees, dispatch fees: $4,200. Total operating expenses: $144,900.
Owner-operator — net take-home
$242,000 gross minus $144,900 expenses = $97,100 net before income tax. After self-employment tax, federal income tax, and state tax (effective rate around 25–30% for owner-operators using sole-prop or single-member LLC structure): take-home of approximately $69,000 to $73,000 per year, or $1,330 to $1,400 per week.
Bottom line
For an OTR driver running average miles at average rates, owner-operator nets about 30% to 40% more than company driving — but with much higher financial risk (truck breakdowns, slow freight weeks, insurance claims). Most successful owner-operators are experienced drivers with at least 3 to 5 years of carrier work who have built up cash reserves before buying a truck. Read our leasing vs. buying guide.