State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Light Truck Driver Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Light Truck Drivers is $44,860 a year ($21.57/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 7.3% through 2034, with about 120,200 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
SOC 53-3033Transportation and Material MovingLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $44,860
- Projected growth
- +7.3%
- Openings a year
- 120,200
- Typical education
- High school
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Bulk Delivery Driver, Delivery Driver, Driver, Light Truck Driver, Package Car Driver, Package Delivery Driver.
How much do Light Truck Drivers make?
10th percentile$30,800
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$37,270
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$44,860
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$52,310
Upper quartile
90th percentile$80,310
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $44,860 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $21.57/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $48,770 |
| People employed | 983,300 |
Versus all US occupations
At $44,860, Light Truck Drivers earn 12% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $6,120 a year.
Versus transportation and material moving occupations
Inside the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $58,405, this is 23% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $80,310 or more while the bottom 10% earn $30,800, a gap of 2.6×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 17% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Alaska pays the most at $57,190, and still leads at $55,872 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Light Truck Drivers the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $57,190 | $55,872 | 1,790 |
| District of Columbia | $49,330 | $44,886 | 540 |
| Washington | $49,070 | $45,854 | 23,290 |
| Minnesota | $48,880 | $49,563 | 17,360 |
| Colorado | $48,410 | $46,976 | 15,810 |
| Maryland | $48,150 | $45,875 | 18,420 |
| Massachusetts | $48,110 | $45,491 | 23,350 |
| North Dakota | $47,950 | $53,901 | 1,950 |
| Illinois | $47,380 | $47,400 | 47,190 |
| Oregon | $47,150 | $45,617 | 11,120 |
Is Light Truck Driver a growing career?
Light Truck Drivers7.3%
All US occupations3.1%
+7.3% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Light Truck Drivers to change 7.3% over 2024–2034, roughly 2.4× the 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 78,900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 120,200 openings are projected each year, 11.1% of the 1,079,800 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Continued growth of e-commerce should increase the need for deliveries, which is expected to create jobs for light truck drivers. In addition, more of these workers will be needed as consumers increasingly demand faster and more convenient delivery services.
Growing demand for local delivery services also is expected to create jobs for driver/sales workers. The use of mobile ordering apps for groceries, takeout food, and other goods should increase demand for these workers to deliver purchases to consumers.
How to become a Light Truck Driver
Delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers typically need a high school diploma or equivalent to enter these occupations. However, some opportunities exist for those without a high school diploma. Workers undergo 1 month or less of on-the-job training. They must have a driver’s license from the state in which they work and have a clean driving record.
| Typical entry-level education | High school diploma or equivalent |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Little or no preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Short-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as light truck drivers.
- High School Diploma74.0%
- Less than a High School Diploma24.6%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)1.2%
- Some College Courses0.3%
What does a Light Truck Driver do?
Drive a light vehicle, such as a truck or van, with a capacity of less than 26,001 pounds Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), primarily to pick up merchandise or packages from a distribution center and deliver. May load and unload vehicle.
Delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers pick up, transport, and drop off packages and small shipments within a local region or urban area. They drive trucks weighing less than 26,001 pounds total for vehicle, passengers, and cargo. Delivery truck drivers usually transport merchandise from a distribution center to businesses and households.
Day-to-day tasks
- Obey traffic laws and follow established traffic and transportation procedures.
- Read maps and follow written or verbal geographic directions.
- Load and unload trucks, vans, or automobiles.
- Verify the contents of inventory loads against shipping papers.
- Maintain records, such as vehicle logs, records of cargo, or billing statements, in accordance with regulations.
- Report any mechanical problems encountered with vehicles.
- Inspect and maintain vehicle supplies and equipment, such as gas, oil, water, tires, lights, or brakes, to ensure that vehicles are in proper working condition.
- Drive vehicles with capacities under three tons to transport materials to and from specified destinations, such as railroad stations, plants, residences, offices, or within industrial yards.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Where light truck drivers work
| Wholesale trade | 22% |
|---|---|
| Retail trade | 10% |
| Self-employed workers | 7% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension3.1/5
- Active Listening3.1/5
- Speaking3.1/5
- Monitoring3.1/5
- Critical Thinking3.0/5
- Writing2.8/5
- Mathematics2.3/5
- Active Learning2.1/5
Transferable skills
- Operation and Control3.1/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.8/5
- Service Orientation2.8/5
- Operations Monitoring2.8/5
- Complex Problem Solving2.6/5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.6/5
- Coordination2.5/5
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Communications server software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Desktop communications software
- Industrial control software
- Inventory management software
- Route navigation software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Light Truck Driver?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary6.9
Investigative1.5
Artistic1.0
Social1.4
Enterprising2.1
Conventionalprimary4.4
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Light Truck Driver: frequently asked questions
How much do Light Truck Drivers make?
Light Truck Drivers earn a median of $44,860 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 12% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $21.57/hr. The middle half earn between $37,270 and $52,310. The top 10% earn $80,310 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Light Truck Driver?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Light Truck Drivers. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 74.0% hold high school diploma.
Is Light Truck Driver a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 7.3% over 2024–2034, more than double the 3.1% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 120,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Light Truck Driver do?
Delivery truck drivers and driver/sales workers pick up, transport, and drop off packages and small shipments within a local region or urban area. A core O*NET task: obey traffic laws and follow established traffic and transportation procedures. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Operating system software.
Which states pay Light Truck Drivers the most?
The highest state medians for Light Truck Drivers are Alaska ($57,190), District of Columbia ($49,330), Washington ($49,070) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Light Truck Driver?
O*NET scores Light Truck Drivers highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.