Pay by state · 54 areas
Light Truck Driver Salary by State (2026)
Light Truck Drivers earn the most in Alaska at $57,190 a year and the least in Arkansas at $37,080 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $44,860. The table below covers all 50 states, DC, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $57,190Alaska
- National median
- $44,860BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Lowest median
- $37,080Arkansas
- Areas reporting
- 54of 54 OEWS areas
Top and bottom
Highest- and lowest-paying states for light truck drivers
Ranked on the state median among the 50 states and DC. Territories are in the full table but not ranked here.
Highest median pay
- 1Alaska$57,190
- 2District of Columbia$49,330
- 3Washington$49,070
- 4Minnesota$48,880
- 5Colorado$48,410
Lowest median pay
- 1Arkansas$37,080
- 2South Carolina$37,680
- 3Mississippi$38,140
- 4Alabama$38,490
- 5West Virginia$38,860
All states
Light Truck Driver salary in every state
Sort by any column. Employment is the number of light truck drivers OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AKAlaska | $57,190 | $48,620 | $82,740 | 1,790 | $55,872 |
| 2 | DCDistrict of Columbia | $49,330 | $45,930 | $57,160 | 540 | $44,886 |
| 3 | WAWashington | $49,070 | $44,920 | $57,350 | 23,290 | $45,854 |
| 4 | MNMinnesota | $48,880 | $39,760 | $60,530 | 17,360 | $49,563 |
| 5 | COColorado | $48,410 | $43,190 | $56,040 | 15,810 | $46,976 |
| 6 | MDMaryland | $48,150 | $38,350 | $62,010 | 18,420 | $45,875 |
| 7 | MAMassachusetts | $48,110 | $40,860 | $56,930 | 23,350 | $45,491 |
| 8 | NDNorth Dakota | $47,950 | $37,950 | $56,160 | 1,950 | $53,901 |
| 9 | ILIllinois | $47,380 | $39,820 | $60,290 | 47,190 | $47,400 |
| 10 | OROregon | $47,150 | $42,360 | $54,040 | 11,120 | $45,617 |
| 11 | NJNew Jersey | $46,820 | $41,000 | $53,250 | 33,900 | $43,031 |
| 12 | CACalifornia | $46,790 | $42,160 | $56,840 | 111,950 | $42,260 |
| 13 | MTMontana | $46,420 | $37,070 | $55,570 | 2,960 | $49,046 |
| 14 | NYNew York | $46,330 | $39,390 | $55,240 | 56,490 | $42,930 |
| 15 | NHNew Hampshire | $46,260 | $38,730 | $53,540 | 4,670 | $44,410 |
| 16 | HIHawaii | $45,930 | $37,930 | $58,740 | 3,690 | $41,773 |
| 17 | UTUtah | $45,860 | $39,710 | $48,170 | 9,930 | $46,387 |
| 18 | WIWisconsin | $45,670 | $38,220 | $52,690 | 19,140 | $48,536 |
| 19 | RIRhode Island | $45,660 | $35,820 | $53,680 | 3,110 | $44,642 |
| 20 | MOMissouri | $45,500 | $36,570 | $57,410 | 16,210 | $50,101 |
| 21 | AZArizona | $45,140 | $39,400 | $53,240 | 18,400 | $44,836 |
| 22 | VTVermont | $45,090 | $34,980 | $56,290 | 2,050 | $46,030 |
| 23 | TNTennessee | $45,050 | $38,150 | $54,110 | 33,710 | $49,037 |
| 24 | INIndiana | $44,560 | $37,090 | $51,110 | 19,880 | $47,745 |
| 25 | MEMaine | $44,550 | $34,190 | $56,130 | 3,120 | $45,904 |
| 26 | CTConnecticut | $44,500 | $37,310 | $52,910 | 10,720 | $42,950 |
| 27 | IDIdaho | $44,370 | $38,230 | $57,320 | 7,120 | $46,464 |
| 28 | NENebraska | $44,120 | $37,270 | $49,440 | 4,210 | $48,966 |
| 29 | PAPennsylvania | $44,120 | $35,140 | $54,630 | 42,380 | $45,218 |
| 30 | GAGeorgia | $44,050 | $35,880 | $53,340 | 26,050 | $45,746 |
| 31 | DEDelaware | $43,990 | $34,620 | $48,050 | 4,200 | $44,075 |
| 32 | WYWyoming | $43,780 | $33,910 | $51,840 | 1,450 | $47,232 |
| 33 | NVNevada | $43,760 | $38,440 | $51,130 | 9,520 | $43,769 |
| 34 | KSKansas | $43,730 | $36,710 | $47,690 | 9,140 | $48,552 |
| 35 | SDSouth Dakota | $43,240 | $34,230 | $48,720 | 4,820 | $48,811 |
| 36 | KYKentucky | $43,230 | $33,510 | $57,950 | 15,630 | $47,949 |
| 37 | MIMichigan | $43,000 | $35,570 | $48,440 | 26,160 | $44,691 |
| 38 | IAIowa | $42,750 | $37,090 | $47,500 | 9,680 | $48,711 |
| 39 | OHOhio | $42,600 | $33,710 | $46,260 | 35,130 | $45,918 |
| 40 | TXTexas | $42,500 | $34,800 | $50,170 | 78,540 | $43,789 |
| 41 | VAVirginia | $42,450 | $35,180 | $47,710 | 25,170 | $41,986 |
| 42 | NMNew Mexico | $42,360 | $34,740 | $47,140 | 4,220 | $45,938 |
| 43 | FLFlorida | $41,810 | $37,200 | $46,880 | 67,390 | $40,430 |
| 44 | NCNorth Carolina | $39,910 | $32,750 | $46,700 | 31,810 | $42,311 |
| 45 | OKOklahoma | $39,840 | $30,690 | $49,080 | 10,020 | $45,354 |
| 46 | LALouisiana | $39,440 | $30,880 | $50,840 | 14,300 | $44,713 |
| 47 | WVWest Virginia | $38,860 | $28,200 | $52,530 | 3,330 | $43,420 |
| 48 | ALAlabama | $38,490 | $31,390 | $48,030 | 13,980 | $43,333 |
| 49 | MSMississippi | $38,140 | $31,120 | $52,120 | 7,030 | $43,863 |
| 50 | SCSouth Carolina | $37,680 | $29,830 | $47,370 | 11,950 | $40,192 |
| 51 | ARArkansas | $37,080 | $30,770 | $48,040 | 9,340 | $42,652 |
| 52 | VIU.S. Virgin Islands | $31,180 | $28,490 | $37,770 | 80 | N/A |
| 53 | GUGuam | $25,100 | $22,790 | $29,310 | 350 | N/A |
| 54 | PRPuerto Rico | $24,430 | $22,160 | $27,930 | 5,760 | N/A |
Method
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For light truck drivers, the adjustment does not change the leader: Alaska is first on raw pay and still first once prices are taken into account, at $55,872.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Questions
Light Truck Driver pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays light truck drivers the most?
Alaska reports the highest median wage for light truck drivers at $57,190 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by District of Columbia ($49,330) and Washington ($49,070).
Which state pays light truck drivers the least?
Among the 50 states and DC, Arkansas reports the lowest median for light truck drivers at $37,080 a year, $20,110 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Among the territories, U.S. Virgin Islands reports $31,180, Guam reports $25,100 and Puerto Rico reports $24,430.
Is the highest-paying state the best for light truck drivers after cost of living?
Yes. Alaska stays first after dividing each state median by its BEA Regional Price Parity, at $55,872 in national-average dollars from a raw $57,190. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024; the adjustment is NueCareer's calculation.