Commercial Truck Driver Salary By State: Salary by State (Hourly + Annual)

Trade Industry Insights / Commercial Truck Driver Salary By State

Updated February 2026

Quick Answer: How Much Do CDL Drivers Make?

CDL pay varies by state, freight type, and pay model (hourly, per-mile, percentage, per-load). The biggest pay jumps usually come from moving into better freight (LTL, dedicated, private fleets) and adding endorsements like tanker and hazmat—not just more miles.

This page shows hourly and annual estimates by state so you can compare typical CDL pay where you live. Use the top 10 chart for context, then the full table to compare your state against nearby markets.

  • Biggest pay drivers: clean safety record, endorsements (tanker/hazmat), route type (local vs regional vs OTR), and home-time tradeoffs.
  • Where pay is often highest: strong freight corridors, port/industrial regions, and markets with high demand for experienced drivers.
  • Reality check: two drivers can have the same “CDL job” but wildly different pay depending on freight, detention, and schedule.
  • Best next step: Jump to CDL Salaries by State and compare your state to the top 10.
  • Want the full career path? How to Become a CDL Driver

Commercial Truck Driver Salaries by State

Commercial Truck Driver pay can vary a lot depending on where you live. Use this state-by-state breakdown to compare average hourly wage, weekly pay, monthly income, and annual salary for commercial truck drivers across the United States.

Salary estimates are based on aggregated data from publicly available wage sources, including state-level labor datasets, employer-reported estimates, and trade industry compensation data. Primary sources include the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), State Labor Departments, and union wage scales and collective bargaining agreements (where available). Data reflects the most recently available wage releases at the time of publication.

How these Commercial Truck Driver salary estimates are calculated: Hourly wage figures are based on the most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for the trade, supplemented with state labor department wage data and published union wage scales where available. Weekly pay assumes a standard 40-hour work week. Annual salary estimates are calculated using 2,080 work hours per year, and monthly pay is derived by dividing the annual estimate by 12. These figures represent typical earnings and may vary based on experience level, system specialization, overtime, seasonality, and regional demand.

Top 10 Highest Paying States for Commercial Truck Drivers (Hourly)

Showing the top 10 states by average hourly wage.

Complete Commercial Truck Driver Salary Table by State

State Hourly Wage Weekly Pay Monthly Pay Annual Salary
Washington $40.58 $1,623 $7,034 $84,406
New York $39.22 $1,569 $6,798 $81,578
Massachusetts $39.16 $1,566 $6,788 $81,453
Alaska $38.62 $1,545 $6,694 $80,330
Vermont $38.14 $1,526 $6,611 $79,331
North Dakota $37.96 $1,518 $6,580 $78,957
Oregon $37.93 $1,517 $6,575 $78,894
Colorado $37.73 $1,511 $6,548 $78,578
Hawaii $37.29 $1,492 $6,464 $77,563
Nevada $36.56 $1,462 $6,337 $76,045
New Jersey $36.45 $1,458 $6,318 $75,816
Wisconsin $36.25 $1,450 $6,285 $75,420
Pennsylvania $36 $1,440 $6,240 $74,880
Delaware $35.95 $1,438 $6,231 $74,776
South Dakota $35.92 $1,437 $6,226 $74,714
Virginia $35.62 $1,425 $6,174 $74,090
California $35.46 $1,418 $6,146 $73,757
Minnesota $35.19 $1,408 $6,099 $73,195
Rhode Island $35.19 $1,408 $6,099 $73,195
New Hampshire $34.95 $1,398 $6,058 $72,696
Maryland $34.88 $1,395 $6,046 $72,550
New Mexico $34.83 $1,393 $6,037 $72,446
Illinois $34.83 $1,393 $6,037 $72,446
Maine $34.80 $1,392 $6,032 $72,384
Wyoming $34.55 $1,382 $5,989 $71,864
Nebraska $34.28 $1,369 $5,935 $71,222
Indiana $34.21 $1,367 $5,923 $71,077
Connecticut $34.20 $1,367 $5,921 $71,056
Ohio $34.18 $1,366 $5,918 $71,014
Mississippi $34.06 $1,362 $5,900 $70,805
Idaho $33.84 $1,355 $5,872 $70,467
Iowa $33.78 $1,351 $5,855 $70,262
Missouri $33.74 $1,349 $5,848 $70,179
Arizona $33.52 $1,341 $5,810 $69,722
Texas $33.51 $1,340 $5,808 $69,701
South Carolina $33.38 $1,335 $5,786 $69,430
Oklahoma $33.22 $1,330 $5,761 $69,138
Montana $33.03 $1,321 $5,725 $68,702
Utah $32.76 $1,310 $5,678 $68,141
North Carolina $32.71 $1,308 $5,669 $68,037
Tennessee $32.67 $1,307 $5,663 $67,954
Alabama $32.63 $1,305 $5,656 $67,871
Kansas $32.11 $1,284 $5,566 $66,789
Michigan $31.40 $1,256 $5,443 $65,312
Kentucky $31.29 $1,252 $5,424 $65,083
Louisiana $30.82 $1,233 $5,342 $64,106
Georgia $30.44 $1,218 $5,276 $63,315
Arkansas $29.83 $1,193 $5,171 $62,046
West Virginia $27.98 $1,118 $4,843 $58,118
Florida $27.03 $1,081 $4,685 $56,222

What to Do Next