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💰 2025–2026 Salary Data

CDL Truck Driver Salary & Job Outlook

Real numbers for all 50 states. Route type pay comparisons. Endorsement boosts. No recruiter spin — just the data you need to make career decisions.

$54K
National Median
$65.1K
Top State (WA)
5–6%
Job Growth Rate
$15K
Top Endorsement Boost

Truck driving pays the bills for over 2 million Americans. But "how much do truck drivers make?" isn't a simple question — it depends on your state, your route type, your endorsements, and how long you've been at it. This guide cuts through the noise with BLS-adjusted data for all 50 states plus DC, broken down by experience level, route type, and endorsement premium.

We also factor in cost of living, because a $62K salary in New York doesn't feel like $62K. Scroll down for the COL-adjusted rankings — they tell a different story than the raw numbers.

📍 CDL Driver Salary by State

Data is based on BLS 2024 figures adjusted for 2025-2026. Entry-level is roughly 70-75% of average; experienced is 120-130%.

State Avg Annual Avg Hourly Entry Level Experienced Job Growth COL Index
Alabama $48,500 $23.32 $34,900 $62,000 5% 87
Alaska $58,200 $27.98 $41,900 $74,200 4% 128
Arizona $52,800 $25.38 $38,100 $67,400 7% 103
Arkansas $44,100 $21.20 $31,800 $56,400 4% 87
California $57,500 $27.64 $41,400 $73,400 6% 135
Colorado $55,100 $26.49 $39,700 $70,400 7% 106
Connecticut $60,200 $28.95 $43,400 $76,900 3% 115
Delaware $54,600 $26.25 $39,300 $69,800 4% 108
Florida $49,700 $23.89 $35,800 $63,500 8% 99
Georgia $50,100 $24.09 $36,100 $64,000 6% 92
Hawaii $56,300 $27.07 $40,500 $71,900 3% 142
Idaho $48,900 $23.51 $35,200 $62,500 8% 95
Illinois $55,600 $26.73 $40,000 $71,000 4% 100
Indiana $50,500 $24.28 $36,400 $64,500 5% 90
Iowa $49,300 $23.70 $35,500 $63,000 5% 89
Kansas $47,800 $22.98 $34,400 $61,100 5% 88
Kentucky $48,200 $23.17 $34,700 $61,600 4% 88
Louisiana $47,900 $23.03 $34,500 $61,200 3% 90
Maine $49,800 $23.94 $35,900 $63,600 3% 98
Maryland $57,200 $27.50 $41,200 $73,000 4% 115
Massachusetts $61,300 $29.47 $44,100 $78,300 3% 132
Michigan $51,200 $24.62 $36,900 $65,400 4% 91
Minnesota $55,800 $26.83 $40,200 $71,300 5% 100
Mississippi $42,100 $20.24 $30,300 $53,800 3% 85
Missouri $49,600 $23.85 $35,700 $63,400 5% 89
Montana $49,100 $23.61 $35,400 $62,800 6% 98
Nebraska $49,400 $23.75 $35,600 $63,100 5% 90
Nevada $53,900 $25.91 $38,800 $68,800 6% 103
New Hampshire $56,100 $26.97 $40,400 $71,600 4% 110
New Jersey $59,400 $28.56 $42,800 $75,900 3% 118
New Mexico $47,500 $22.84 $34,200 $60,700 5% 92
New York $62,300 $29.95 $44,900 $79,600 4% 130
North Carolina $50,300 $24.18 $36,200 $64,300 7% 93
North Dakota $52,700 $25.34 $38,000 $67,300 8% 93
Ohio $50,900 $24.47 $36,700 $65,000 5% 91
Oklahoma $47,200 $22.69 $34,000 $60,300 5% 86
Oregon $56,800 $27.31 $40,900 $72,500 6% 112
Pennsylvania $53,400 $25.67 $38,400 $68,200 4% 96
Rhode Island $57,400 $27.60 $41,300 $73,300 3% 113
South Carolina $48,300 $23.22 $34,800 $61,700 6% 91
South Dakota $47,100 $22.64 $33,900 $60,200 6% 88
Tennessee $49,200 $23.65 $35,400 $62,800 6% 90
Texas $52,400 $25.19 $37,700 $66,900 8% 92
Utah $50,700 $24.38 $36,500 $64,800 8% 99
Vermont $51,900 $24.95 $37,400 $66,300 3% 106
Virginia $52,800 $25.38 $38,100 $67,400 5% 102
Washington $65,100 $31.30 $46,900 $83,100 6% 112
Washington DC $61,400 $29.52 $44,200 $78,400 3% 152
West Virginia $43,100 $20.72 $31,000 $55,000 3% 86
Wisconsin $51,500 $24.76 $37,100 $65,800 4% 93
Wyoming $54,700 $26.30 $39,400 $69,800 6% 95

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), adjusted for 2025-2026 projections.

🚚 OTR vs Local vs Regional vs Specialized

Where you drive matters almost as much as what you drive. Here's the real breakdown.

Over-the-Road (OTR)

$55,000 – $80,000

The long haul. You're out for weeks at a time, covering thousands of miles across multiple states. Highest earning potential but you'll pay for it in time away from home.

Home Time: Every 2–4 weeks

Pros

  • ✓ Highest pay
  • ✓ See the country
  • ✓ Less micromanagement
  • ✓ Per diem tax benefits

Cons

  • ✗ Weeks away from home
  • ✗ Irregular sleep
  • ✗ Lonely lifestyle
  • ✗ Hard on relationships

Local

$45,000 – $65,000

Home every night. Usually delivery, LTL, or dedicated routes within a metro area. You trade top dollar for a life outside the truck.

Home Time: Every night

Pros

  • ✓ Home daily
  • ✓ Predictable schedule
  • ✓ Know your route
  • ✓ Time with family

Cons

  • ✗ Lower pay ceiling
  • ✗ More stop-and-go
  • ✗ Physically demanding unloads
  • ✗ Traffic headaches

Regional

$50,000 – $70,000

The middle ground. You run a multi-state region — Midwest, Southeast, etc. — and usually get home on weekends. Good balance of pay and home time.

Home Time: Weekends, sometimes nightly

Pros

  • ✓ Decent pay
  • ✓ Home most weekends
  • ✓ Known routes
  • ✓ Better work-life balance

Cons

  • ✗ Still some nights away
  • ✗ Less freedom than OTR
  • ✗ Can get repetitive
  • ✗ Regional freight varies

Specialized (Heavy Haul, Oversized)

$70,000 – $100,000+

The big leagues. Oversized loads, heavy equipment, superloads. You need serious skill and patience. Pay reflects that, but so does the stress.

Home Time: Varies wildly

Pros

  • ✓ Top of the pay scale
  • ✓ Specialized skill = job security
  • ✓ Interesting work
  • ✓ Pilot cars make it unique

Cons

  • ✗ High stress
  • ✗ Permit headaches
  • ✗ Long planning for each load
  • ✗ Not for beginners

⭐ Endorsement Salary Boosters

Endorsements are the fastest way to bump your pay without changing companies.

H Hazmat (Hazardous Materials)

+$5,000 – $10,000/yr Moderate

The biggest earner of the endorsements. Hazmat loads pay more because fewer drivers want the risk and the background check weeds people out. TSA fingerprinting required, but it's worth it.

Requirement: Knowledge test + TSA background check + fingerprinting

N Tanker

+$3,000 – $7,000/yr Moderate

Liquid freight moves differently than dry. Surge is real and you need to know how to handle it. Tanker drivers are in demand, especially in oil country and chemical corridors.

Requirement: Knowledge test only

T Doubles/Triples

+$2,000 – $5,000/yr Easy

Pulling two or three trailers. More length, more backing challenges, more skill required. LTL companies love these. The test isn't brutal but the driving sure can be.

Requirement: Knowledge test only

X Hazmat + Tanker (Combo)

+$8,000 – $15,000/yr Hard

The double stack. Combining Hazmat and Tanker endorsements opens up fuel hauling, chemical transport, and other high-paying gigs. Gas stations and refineries pay real money for this combo.

Requirement: Both knowledge tests + TSA background check

P Passenger

+$0 – $2,000/yr Easy

Bus drivers, shuttle drivers, transit. Not a huge pay booster unless you're in a union transit job. Mostly worth it if you want to drive people, not freight.

Requirement: Knowledge test + skills test in passenger vehicle

S School Bus

+$0 – $1,500/yr Easy

Similar to Passenger but specific to school buses. Low pay boost, but the hours work well for parents — mornings and afternoons with midday free. Not a career booster, more a lifestyle choice.

Requirement: Knowledge test + skills test in school bus

Pro tip: Stack your endorsements. A driver with Hazmat + Tanker (the X combo) can earn $8,000-$15,000 more per year. Study with our free CDL practice tests and you'll pass first try.

📊 Cost of Living Adjusted Rankings

Raw salary numbers lie. This table adjusts salaries by each state's cost of living index so you can compare actual purchasing power.

COL index: 100 = national average. Higher = more expensive. Adjusted salary = Average salary ÷ (COL index ÷ 100).

#1 Washington
$58,125
Raw: $65,100 · COL: 112
#2 Wyoming
$57,579
Raw: $54,700 · COL: 95
#3 Texas
$56,957
Raw: $52,400 · COL: 92
#4 North Dakota
$56,667
Raw: $52,700 · COL: 93
#5 Michigan
$56,264
Raw: $51,200 · COL: 91
#6 Indiana
$56,111
Raw: $50,500 · COL: 90
#7 Ohio
$55,934
Raw: $50,900 · COL: 91
#8 Minnesota
$55,800
Raw: $55,800 · COL: 100
#9 Alabama
$55,747
Raw: $48,500 · COL: 87
#10 Missouri
$55,730
Raw: $49,600 · COL: 89
#11 Pennsylvania
$55,625
Raw: $53,400 · COL: 96
#12 Illinois
$55,600
Raw: $55,600 · COL: 100
#13 Iowa
$55,393
Raw: $49,300 · COL: 89
#14 Wisconsin
$55,376
Raw: $51,500 · COL: 93
#15 Nebraska
$54,889
Raw: $49,400 · COL: 90
#16 Oklahoma
$54,884
Raw: $47,200 · COL: 86
#17 Kentucky
$54,773
Raw: $48,200 · COL: 88
#18 Tennessee
$54,667
Raw: $49,200 · COL: 90
#19 Georgia
$54,457
Raw: $50,100 · COL: 92
#20 Kansas
$54,318
Raw: $47,800 · COL: 88
#21 North Carolina
$54,086
Raw: $50,300 · COL: 93
#22 South Dakota
$53,523
Raw: $47,100 · COL: 88
#23 Louisiana
$53,222
Raw: $47,900 · COL: 90
#24 South Carolina
$53,077
Raw: $48,300 · COL: 91
#25 Connecticut
$52,348
Raw: $60,200 · COL: 115

Ranks 26–51:

#26 Nevada
$52,330
Raw: $53,900 · COL: 103
#27 Colorado
$51,981
Raw: $55,100 · COL: 106
#28 Virginia
$51,765
Raw: $52,800 · COL: 102
#29 New Mexico
$51,630
Raw: $47,500 · COL: 92
#30 Idaho
$51,474
Raw: $48,900 · COL: 95
#31 Arizona
$51,262
Raw: $52,800 · COL: 103
#32 Utah
$51,212
Raw: $50,700 · COL: 99
#33 New Hampshire
$51,000
Raw: $56,100 · COL: 110
#34 Maine
$50,816
Raw: $49,800 · COL: 98
#35 Rhode Island
$50,796
Raw: $57,400 · COL: 113
#36 Oregon
$50,714
Raw: $56,800 · COL: 112
#37 Arkansas
$50,690
Raw: $44,100 · COL: 87
#38 Delaware
$50,556
Raw: $54,600 · COL: 108
#39 New Jersey
$50,339
Raw: $59,400 · COL: 118
#40 Florida
$50,202
Raw: $49,700 · COL: 99
#41 West Virginia
$50,116
Raw: $43,100 · COL: 86
#42 Montana
$50,102
Raw: $49,100 · COL: 98
#43 Maryland
$49,739
Raw: $57,200 · COL: 115
#44 Mississippi
$49,529
Raw: $42,100 · COL: 85
#45 Vermont
$48,962
Raw: $51,900 · COL: 106
#46 New York
$47,923
Raw: $62,300 · COL: 130
#47 Massachusetts
$46,439
Raw: $61,300 · COL: 132
#48 Alaska
$45,469
Raw: $58,200 · COL: 128
#49 California
$42,593
Raw: $57,500 · COL: 135
#50 Washington DC
$40,395
Raw: $61,400 · COL: 152
#51 Hawaii
$39,648
Raw: $56,300 · COL: 142

📈 What the Numbers Actually Mean

Location matters more than you think. The spread between the highest-paying state (Washington at $65K) and the lowest (Mississippi at $42K) is over $23,000. But after cost of living adjustments, that gap narrows significantly.

Endorsements are the easiest pay raise you'll ever get. A Hazmat endorsement can add $5-10K per year for the cost of a background check and a knowledge test. That's the best ROI in the industry.

Year one is rough. Year two gets better. Entry-level pay sits around $35-40K nationally. But most companies bump your CPM or hourly rate after 6 months and again at 12 months. By year two, you should be at $48K+.

The driver shortage is your leverage. With 60,000-80,000 open positions nationwide, you have options. Companies are offering sign-on bonuses, higher CPM, better home time, and improved benefits to attract drivers. Use that to negotiate.

CDL Salary FAQ

The median annual salary for heavy/tractor-trailer truck drivers is about $54,000 nationally, according to BLS data. But that's the median — your actual pay depends heavily on your route type, endorsements, experience level, and where you live. OTR drivers can clear $70-80K with the right company. Entry-level? More like $35-40K your first year.

Washington state tops the list at around $65,100 average annual salary. New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut all come in above $60K. But here's the thing — those states also have high costs of living. A $65K salary in Washington goes further than a $62K salary in New York. Check our cost-of-living adjusted rankings below for the real picture.

Most OTR drivers are paid by the mile (CPM — cents per mile). Typical range is $0.48-$0.65/mile for experienced drivers. Local and regional drivers are more likely to be hourly, usually $22-$32/hr. Some companies offer a mix — a base salary plus per-mile bonuses. Always ask about detention pay and layover pay too. Unpaid wait time eats into your real earnings fast.

First-year CDL drivers typically earn $35,000-$45,000. Companies pay less to new drivers — it's just how it works. Most bump your pay after 6 months and again at the one-year mark. Some mega-carriers start as low as $0.28-$0.35 CPM. Stick it out through year one and you'll see a noticeable jump. By year two, $50K+ is realistic.

Short answer: yes. Hazmat adds $5,000-$10,000/year to your earnings. It's the highest-paying endorsement you can get. Yes, you'll deal with TSA background checks and fingerprinting. Yes, the test requires actual studying. But the pay premium and job opportunities make it one of the best investments you can make in your CDL career. Fuel hauling gigs especially want that H endorsement.

OTR drivers earn more on paper — $55K-$80K vs. $45K-$65K for local. But OTR drivers spend weeks away from home, eating on the road (expensive), and putting more miles on their personal vehicles during home time. Local drivers sleep in their own bed every night and often have better benefits. Calculate your real hourly rate after expenses and OTR doesn't always win.

Hazmat (H) is the highest-paying single endorsement, adding $5K-$10K/year. The Hazmat+Tanker combo (X endorsement) is even better — $8K-$15K/year premium. These endorsements open up fuel hauling, chemical transport, and other specialized freight that pays significantly more than general freight. The background check and testing take effort, but the payoff is real.

BLS projects about 5-6% growth for heavy/tractor-trailer truck drivers over the next decade. That's roughly 30,000+ new openings per year. Driver shortage is real — ATA estimates we're short 60,000-80,000 drivers. The jobs are there. The question is whether pay and working conditions improve enough to fill them. If you're getting into the industry, you won't struggle to find work.

Absolutely. A $60K salary in Mississippi puts you in the top tier of earners locally. That same $60K in New York City barely covers rent. That's why we include cost-of-living adjusted rankings. The raw salary numbers look impressive in high-COL states, but your actual purchasing power tells a different story. Always compare salaries against local costs, not just the headline number.

It's possible but not typical. Specialized heavy haul, oversized load, and owner-operators can clear $100K+. Ice road truckers and some mining operations pay that much too. For company drivers in standard freight, $70-80K is the realistic ceiling. To hit six figures, you need specialized skills, endorsements, or your own truck — and the expenses that come with it.

Ready to Start Earning?

The first step to that truck driver paycheck is passing your CDL knowledge test. Our free practice tests cover every endorsement for every state.

Free CDL Practice Tests → CDL Requirements by State