CDL School: It Cost This Much?!

It’s no secret that getting your CDL costs money.

But how much exactly?

This article will break down the average cost of CDL training, as well as some of the factors that can affect the price.

So read on to learn more about what you can expect to pay and how to save money on your trucking education!

how much does cdl training cost

How much does CDL training cost? 

The average cost of CDL training is between $3000 and $7000.

If you’ve done some research about schools, you may have noticed that it can be quite a wide range.

So why the price difference?

Generally speaking, there are three factors that affect the overall cost of your program: location, whether or not you get paid during school, and whether or not the trucking company pays for your training.

Let’s take a look at each of these factors more closely.

Factor 1: Location

Location is one of the main determinants of how much trucking school will actually cost you because it has an effect on transportation costs and living expenses while you’re attending classes.  

There can be quite a discrepancy in price depending on where your school is located.

Let’s take a look at the following example:  

If you’re located in California and attend CDL training in Florida, transportation costs will be much higher than if you were to complete your schooling closer to home.  

California has one of the highest costs of living in the country, whereas Florida has some of the lowest.  

That means that for six weeks you’ll have significantly less money for food, housing, utilities, etc.  

So while your school might only charge $3000 for trucking training, your actual cost will probably be closer to $4000 when taking into account all associated expenses.

Factor 2: Compensation

Another factor is whether or not you’ll get paid while at trucking school.  

It’s no secret that any time you’re not actually behind the wheel, your expenses are going to be higher.    

Whether or not you’ll get paid at all during training will make a huge difference in how much it actually costs you.

Factor 3: Company Paid Training

Finally, you’ll have to think about whether or not your trucking company is willing to cover the cost of your training.  Some will pay for everything, while others only agree to part of the total.  

How much can you save?

The overall amount that you spend on CDL training really depends on how much money you’re able to save.  

If possible, try to start saving at least six months before making the investment into getting your Class A commercial driver’s license.  By starting early, you should be able to put away quite a bit of cash.

You also want to make sure that if your company says it will help pay for your training, that they actually do so in full. Some

Whether or not the company pays for your schooling is another factor that can affect CDL training costs.  

Although some companies do consider this an asset, they usually only cover tuition if the student signs on with their company after graduating from a truck driving school.  

So don’t count on getting free training!  But what you might not know is that there are other companies out there who will pay for your education regardless of whether or not you sign with them.  

So don’t let this be the deciding factor when choosing your training facility!

By looking at these factors, it’s easy to see that there are ways to save money on CDL training.  

But overall, the most expensive schools will probably also provide the best quality of education.  

That means that if you want to get into trucking as quickly as possible and start making money right away, then it may be worth shelling out a bit more cash for better opportunities down the road.

As always, make sure you do plenty of research before committing to any program or company so that you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into!

How long does CDL school take?

The length of time that it takes to complete a truck driver training program can vary greatly depending on the school you choose.   

Some schools offer programs as short as six weeks which include both classroom and heavy vehicle simulator instruction.  

These programs will give your more opportunities for employment compared to those who have completed a longer program, but it may be harder to find jobs without experience.   

Many employers require at least two months or 300 hours of logged driving experience before they’ll consider hiring someone new.  

If this is the case, your best bet would be to enroll in an eight-week school that offers logbook endorsements instead of just simulator time.

By taking this option, you won’t get any real-world experience until after graduating from CD

Does going to CDL school help me get a job?

Truck driving school is not a guarantee for getting a job once you graduate.  In fact, most companies will hire self-taught drivers

So what’s the difference between going to trucking school and learning on your own?

Some people argue that you’ll be better off learning about truck driving from your family or friends because it can cost thousands of dollars to attend CDL training.  

However, the truth is that no matter how much money you spend at a school, it’s still up to you to learn everything there is about operating a big rig.   

Many schools do offer an extensive amount of resources throughout their courses to help students prepare for life as professional drivers.   

Parts of this course may include videos, quizzes, and even some hands-on training in a big rig simulator.

However, it’s up to you to apply what you’ve learned in class while out on the road with your future employer.  

This brings us back to the question of whether going to trucking school is worth it or not?

Your best bet would be to visit a few schools that offer CDL training near you and see if they have any current students you can talk with about their experiences!  

They can give you their opinions on how helpful the course was for them both from a financial standpoint as well as from an educational one.  

As always, make sure that when comparing different programs and courses, you compare apples to apples and not

Until next time – happy hauling!