SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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. Excludes “Couriers and Messengers” (43-5021) and “Driver/Sales Workers” (53-3031).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 53-3033.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $30,800 | $2,567 | $592 | $14.81 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $37,270 | $3,106 | $717 | $17.92 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $44,860 | $3,738 | $863 | $21.57 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $52,310 | $4,359 | $1,006 | $25.15 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $80,310 | $6,692 | $1,544 | $38.61 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Light Truck Drivers is $44,860, which is 12% lower. Among the 50 occupations of the field Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks number 34 by median pay. With 983,300 jobs, it makes up about 63 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Light Truck Drivers pay by state
The highest median pay was in Alaska ($57,190), District of Columbia ($49,330) and Washington ($49,070). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($24,430), Guam ($25,100) and Virgin Islands ($31,180). The most jobs were in California (111,950), Texas (78,540) and Florida (67,390). The occupation is most concentrated in South Dakota, where its share of all jobs is 1.7 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1,790 | $57,190 | $62,940 | $27.50 |
| District of Columbia | 540 | $49,330 | $51,920 | $23.72 |
| Washington | 23,290 | $49,070 | $53,520 | $23.59 |
| Minnesota | 17,360 | $48,880 | $52,860 | $23.50 |
| Colorado | 15,810 | $48,410 | $52,270 | $23.28 |
| Maryland | 18,420 | $48,150 | $52,930 | $23.15 |
| Massachusetts | 23,350 | $48,110 | $51,410 | $23.13 |
| North Dakota | 1,950 | $47,950 | $51,940 | $23.05 |
| Illinois | 47,190 | $47,380 | $53,300 | $22.78 |
| Oregon | 11,120 | $47,150 | $51,440 | $22.67 |
| New Jersey | 33,900 | $46,820 | $49,810 | $22.51 |
| California | 111,950 | $46,790 | $53,310 | $22.50 |
| Montana | 2,960 | $46,420 | $50,550 | $22.32 |
| New York | 56,490 | $46,330 | $50,330 | $22.27 |
| New Hampshire | 4,670 | $46,260 | $48,040 | $22.24 |
| Hawaii | 3,690 | $45,930 | $51,340 | $22.08 |
| Utah | 9,930 | $45,860 | $47,920 | $22.05 |
| Wisconsin | 19,140 | $45,670 | $48,570 | $21.96 |
| Rhode Island | 3,110 | $45,660 | $49,580 | $21.95 |
| Missouri | 16,210 | $45,500 | $50,300 | $21.88 |
| Arizona | 18,400 | $45,140 | $50,900 | $21.70 |
| Vermont | 2,050 | $45,090 | $48,430 | $21.68 |
| Tennessee | 33,710 | $45,050 | $49,120 | $21.66 |
| Indiana | 19,880 | $44,560 | $49,150 | $21.42 |
| Maine | 3,120 | $44,550 | $49,820 | $21.42 |
| Connecticut | 10,720 | $44,500 | $49,430 | $21.39 |
| Idaho | 7,120 | $44,370 | $50,700 | $21.33 |
| Nebraska | 4,210 | $44,120 | $48,720 | $21.21 |
| Pennsylvania | 42,380 | $44,120 | $47,870 | $21.21 |
| Georgia | 26,050 | $44,050 | $48,290 | $21.18 |
| Delaware | 4,200 | $43,990 | $46,480 | $21.15 |
| Wyoming | 1,450 | $43,780 | $46,620 | $21.05 |
| Nevada | 9,520 | $43,760 | $47,610 | $21.04 |
| Kansas | 9,140 | $43,730 | $45,930 | $21.03 |
| South Dakota | 4,820 | $43,240 | $44,100 | $20.79 |
| Kentucky | 15,630 | $43,230 | $48,880 | $20.78 |
| Michigan | 26,160 | $43,000 | $46,720 | $20.67 |
| Iowa | 9,680 | $42,750 | $46,700 | $20.56 |
| Ohio | 35,130 | $42,600 | $44,230 | $20.48 |
| Texas | 78,540 | $42,500 | $46,950 | $20.43 |
| Virginia | 25,170 | $42,450 | $45,390 | $20.41 |
| New Mexico | 4,220 | $42,360 | $43,090 | $20.37 |
| Florida | 67,390 | $41,810 | $44,580 | $20.10 |
| North Carolina | 31,810 | $39,910 | $42,660 | $19.19 |
| Oklahoma | 10,020 | $39,840 | $45,250 | $19.15 |
| Louisiana | 14,300 | $39,440 | $44,940 | $18.96 |
| West Virginia | 3,330 | $38,860 | $46,530 | $18.68 |
| Alabama | 13,980 | $38,490 | $43,930 | $18.50 |
| Mississippi | 7,030 | $38,140 | $46,940 | $18.34 |
| South Carolina | 11,950 | $37,680 | $41,510 | $18.12 |
| Arkansas | 9,340 | $37,080 | $43,670 | $17.83 |
| Virgin Islands | 80 | $31,180 | $36,300 | $14.99 |
| Guam | 350 | $25,100 | $27,090 | $12.07 |
| Puerto Rico | 5,760 | $24,430 | $26,150 | $11.75 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Motorboat Operators$47,520 a year
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$46,420 a year
- Transportation Workers, All Other$45,650 a year
- Conveyor Operators and Tenders$42,420 a year
- Taxi Drivers$42,100 a year
- Material Moving Workers, All Other$41,800 a year
Common questions
How much do Light Truck Drivers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $44,860 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $30,800 and the highest-paid 10% more than $80,310.
How many people work as Light Truck Drivers?
About 983,300 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.