Driver Salary By State: Highest-Paid Drivers in 2026
Research Summary. After extensive research by the Zippia data science team, we have compiled comprehensive details regarding driver salaries by state across the United States in 2026:
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Vermont boasts the highest average driver salary at $42,781.
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Florida continues to have the lowest average driver salary at $27,301.
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The national average salary for drivers is $34,771.
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The national hourly wage for drivers is $16.72.
For more details, please refer to our specific methodology.
Background
In surveys across various demographics, salary remains the primary concern for job seekers, particularly for drivers. Many factors influence individual earnings, but reliable data exists for average driver salaries by state, categorized by experience level. While local salaries may vary from state averages, these figures offer a solid framework for understanding potential earnings.
Vermont stands out as the state with the highest average salary for drivers.
Here’s a snapshot of the top ten states for driver salaries in 2026:
Highest-Paid Drivers By State
| Rank | State | Average Driver Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $42,781 | $24,000 | $74,000 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $42,496 | $24,000 | $74,000 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $41,516 | $23,000 | $72,000 |
| 4 | New York | $41,316 | $23,000 | $72,000 |
| 5 | Washington | $40,614 | $27,000 | $59,000 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $40,527 | $23,000 | $70,000 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $40,449 | $23,000 | $70,000 |
| 8 | Oregon | $40,433 | $27,000 | $59,000 |
| 9 | California | $40,250 | $26,000 | $62,000 |
| 10 | Iowa | $38,851 | $23,000 | $63,000 |
| 11 | Michigan | $37,482 | $22,000 | $63,000 |
| 12 | Montana | $37,359 | $25,000 | $55,000 |
| 13 | Maine | $36,985 | $21,000 | $63,000 |
| 14 | Alaska | $36,975 | $26,000 | $52,000 |
| 15 | Hawaii | $35,994 | $26,000 | $48,000 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $35,469 | $21,000 | $57,000 |
| 17 | Indiana | $35,390 | $21,000 | $59,000 |
| 18 | Illinois | $35,352 | $21,000 | $58,000 |
| 19 | Virginia | $35,190 | $20,000 | $60,000 |
| 20 | Delaware | $35,034 | $20,000 | $60,000 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $34,946 | $21,000 | $58,000 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $34,889 | $19,000 | $61,000 |
| 23 | Alabama | $33,989 | $20,000 | $56,000 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $33,976 | $19,000 | $58,000 |
| 25 | Maryland | $33,556 | $19,000 | $57,000 |
| 26 | Nevada | $33,176 | $21,000 | $50,000 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $32,727 | $19,000 | $54,000 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $32,628 | $20,000 | $50,000 |
| 29 | Arizona | $32,627 | $20,000 | $50,000 |
| 30 | Texas | $32,311 | $19,000 | $52,000 |
| 31 | Colorado | $32,073 | $21,000 | $48,000 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $32,017 | $19,000 | $53,000 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $31,828 | $19,000 | $50,000 |
| 34 | Kansas | $31,698 | $19,000 | $50,000 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $31,646 | $18,000 | $53,000 |
| 36 | Idaho | $31,587 | $21,000 | $46,000 |
| 37 | Georgia | $31,360 | $18,000 | $52,000 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $31,046 | $19,000 | $50,000 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $31,005 | $18,000 | $51,000 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $30,849 | $19,000 | $48,000 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $30,661 | $19,000 | $48,000 |
| 42 | Utah | $30,543 | $20,000 | $45,000 |
| 43 | Missouri | $30,462 | $18,000 | $49,000 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $30,113 | $20,000 | $45,000 |
| 45 | Ohio | $30,110 | $17,000 | $51,000 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $27,966 | $16,000 | $47,000 |
| 47 | Nebraska | $27,858 | $17,000 | $44,000 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $27,805 | $16,000 | $47,000 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $27,676 | $16,000 | $45,000 |
| 50 | Florida | $27,301 | $16,000 | $46,000 |
Methodology: Driver Salary By State
To better understand driver compensation by state, Zippia has aggregated data from various reliable sources including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. This data is supplemented with actual salaries from job postings. Our data science team calculates a weighted average from these inputs to establish the average pay for drivers by state.
We ranked every state based on the average annual salary data for drivers, identifying the state with the highest average salary as the leader in driver compensation.
Driver Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for drivers?
The highest-paid state for drivers is Vermont, with an average salary of $42,781 per year.
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What city pays drivers the most?
Boston, MA offers the highest pay for drivers, with an average salary of $42,446 per year.
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What is the worst state for drivers?
Currently, the worst state for drivers is Florida, with an average salary of $27,301 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
