This is one of the first questions we hear from people calling National Standard Trucking School: should I get my Class A or Class B? The answer depends on what kind of driving you want to do, how much you want to earn, and how quickly you want to start working. Both are legitimate paths — but they lead to very different careers.
What Each License Allows You to Drive
A Class A CDL lets you operate any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 pounds or more, where the vehicle being towed weighs more than 10,000 pounds. That means tractor-trailers, tankers, flatbeds, livestock carriers — the big rigs you see on I-5 and I-90. A Class B CDL covers single vehicles weighing 26,001 pounds or more, or a combination where the towed vehicle weighs less than 10,000 pounds. Think straight trucks, large buses, dump trucks, concrete mixers, and box trucks. Here's the key detail: a Class A license also authorizes you to drive Class B vehicles. A Class B does not work the other way around.
Training Time and Cost Comparison
At NSTS, our Class A Manual program runs 160 hours over four weeks at $4,500, and Class A Automatic is $4,000 for the same hours. Our Class B program is 80 hours over three weeks at $3,000. The Class A program takes an extra week because tractor-trailer combinations require more skill to maneuver, back, and couple/uncouple. If you're on the fence and can afford the time and cost difference, the Class A is almost always the better investment. You can always drive Class B vehicles with a Class A license, but you can't drive Class A vehicles with a Class B.
Salary and Job Availability
Class A drivers consistently earn more. In Washington state, Class A drivers average $58,000 to $78,000 annually depending on experience, while Class B drivers typically earn $42,000 to $58,000. The job market also tilts toward Class A holders. Major carriers like Swift, Werner, J.B. Hunt, and Schneider primarily hire Class A drivers. Class B positions tend to be local — delivery routes, transit, construction — which means more home time but usually lower pay. Both markets are strong in the Puget Sound area right now.
When Class B Makes More Sense
Class B is the right choice if you specifically want to drive buses, work in construction with dump trucks, or do local delivery work and you don't want to deal with tractor-trailer operations. It's also a good starting point if budget or time is tight — you can always upgrade later. We offer a B-to-A upgrade program at $3,975 for 80 hours, so the path from Class B to Class A is straightforward if you change your mind down the road.
Making Your Decision
We tell every prospective student the same thing: come visit the school, sit in both types of trucks, and talk to our instructors about your goals. There's no pressure to decide on the phone. Our facility is at 7402 Pacific Hwy E in Tacoma, and we're open Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 6 PM. You can also call (253) 210-0505 to ask questions before you visit. We'll give you a straight answer about which program fits your situation — because we'd rather you pick the right path than the expensive one.
