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Updated April 6, 2023

CDL Class A Driver Salary Estimate

$52,203

$25.10 hourly

Entry level Salary
$36,000 yearly

How much does a CDL Class A Driver make?

The average salary for a cdl class a driver in the United States is $52,203. Cdl class a driver salaries typically range between $36,000 and $75,000 a year. The average hourly rate for cdl class a drivers is $25.1 per hour.

Location, education, and experience impacts how much a cdl class a driver can expect to make. Cdl class a drivers make the most in North Dakota, New Jersey, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.

Research Summary.
  • The average salary for a cdl class a driver is $52,203 in the US.
  • The average cdl class a driver salary ranges between $36,000 and $75,000 in the US.
  • Hourly rates for cdl class a drivers in the US typically range between $17 and $36 an hour.
  • The average cdl class a driver salary is $66,015 in North Dakota, $65,468 in New Jersey, and $65,357 in Connecticut. These are the three highest-paying states for cdl class a drivers in the US.
  • Mid-South Management has the highest average salary for cdl class a drivers.
  • Transportation is the highest-paying industry for cdl class a drivers in the US.

Highest Paying States For CDL Class A Drivers

While a cdl class a driver can average a salary of $52,203 per year, or $25.1 per hour, there are many opportunities for cdl class a drivers to make more. For example, in Newark, NJ you might make $65,581 per year. Other high-paying locations include Newark, DE, Allentown, PA and Chicago, IL. If you're in an entry-level position, your best bet is to move to Newark, NJ where the average starting salary is $45,000. The highest paying states for cdl class a drivers include North Dakota, New Jersey and Connecticut. Meanwhile, California, Texas, and South Dakota offer the lowest salaries.
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Average Salary:

CDL Class A Driver average salary by State

RankStateAvg. SalaryHourly RateJob Count
1North Dakota$66,015$31.745,609
2Kansas$59,881$28.7913,188
3Wyoming$62,725$30.161,155
4Nebraska$59,602$28.657,956
5Pennsylvania$62,663$30.1319,713
6Vermont$63,735$30.64601
7New Hampshire$64,466$30.99819
8Rhode Island$64,127$30.83693
9Ohio$59,034$28.3822,194
10Illinois$61,943$29.7824,316
11Delaware$63,448$30.501,799
12Iowa$58,329$28.0411,326
13Connecticut$65,357$31.421,928
14New Jersey$65,468$31.483,919
15Indiana$57,566$27.6815,045
16Tennessee$56,291$27.0614,978
17Kentucky$56,137$26.9912,444
18Oregon$61,153$29.406,716
19Minnesota$59,264$28.4914,165
20Michigan$57,756$27.7714,136
21Wisconsin$57,392$27.5912,231
22Oklahoma$55,659$26.7612,048
23West Virginia$54,840$26.374,701
24Georgia$57,228$27.5125,696
25Maine$59,466$28.59777
26Massachusetts$61,893$29.762,752
27Arkansas$53,589$25.7611,526
28North Carolina$56,707$27.2617,810
29Maryland$61,349$29.496,482
30New York$61,063$29.3613,311
31Washington$59,005$28.378,108
32Idaho$55,638$26.754,172
33Utah$57,055$27.434,135
34Mississippi$53,875$25.905,200
35South Carolina$53,678$25.8112,892
36Alabama$52,981$25.4714,840
37South Dakota$50,643$24.355,411
38Missouri$52,908$25.4419,174
39Louisiana$52,184$25.0910,310
40Arizona$54,160$26.045,424
41Colorado$54,264$26.097,012
42Alaska$52,812$25.39148
43Montana$54,051$25.99858
44Texas$51,650$24.8342,262
45District of Columbia$55,777$26.82281
46New Mexico$48,726$23.434,884
47Virginia$52,379$25.1814,813
48California$51,961$24.9833,501
49Florida$52,225$25.117,132
50Hawaii$46,965$22.58167
51Nevada$50,038$24.061,651

Highest Paying Cities For CDL Class A Drivers

RankCityAvg. SalaryHourly RateJob Count
1Newark, NJ$65,581$31.531
2Newark, DE$63,443$30.501
3Allentown, PA$62,888$30.23
4Chicago, IL$62,067$29.844
5Baltimore, MD$61,438$29.541
6Portland, OR$61,286$29.46
7New York, NY$61,135$29.39
8Kansas City, KS$60,147$28.92
9Cleveland, OH$59,683$28.69
10Omaha, NE$59,673$28.691
11Portland, ME$59,612$28.66
12Saint Paul, MN$59,198$28.462
13Fort Wayne, IN$58,154$27.963
14Des Moines, IA$58,138$27.951
15Green Bay, WI$57,989$27.88

CDL Class A Driver Salary by Years of Experience

The salary for a cdl class a driver can vary depending on the years of experience that a person has, from entry level to senior level. An accountant with 0-2 years of experience earns an average salary of $41,358, a mid-career professional with 3-6 years of experience makes $52,203 a year on average, and a senior level accountant with 7-12 years of experience enjoys an average annual salary of $64,386. Data on how experience level affects total compensation is provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as part of their National Compensation Survey, which is based on factors such as knowledge, complexity, contacts, and environment.

CDL Class A Drivers Salary Details

Average CDL Class A Driver Salary Graph
Average CDL Class A Driver Salary Graph, Trends, and Summary

What is a CDL Class A Driver's Salary?

PercentileAnnual SalaryMonthly SalaryHourly Rate
90th Percentile$75,000$6,250$36
75th Percentile$63,000$5,250$30
Average$52,203$4,350$25
25th Percentile$43,000$3,583$21
10th Percentile$36,000$3,000$17

Highest Paying Types of CDL Class A Drivers

Job TitleAnnual SalaryMonthly SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
Truck Driver-Over-The-Road$69,158$5,763$33.25689,630
Haul Truck Driver$60,932$5,078$29.29704,286
Fuel Truck Driver$56,767$4,731$27.29876,579
Truck Driver$60,326$5,027$29.00827,858
Mixer Driver$52,004$4,334$25.00990,295
Truck Driver Class A$63,270$5,272$30.42709,900

Here are the five companies hiring the most now:

  1. Ryder System Jobs (96)
  2. Schneider National Jobs (165)
  3. Exel Inc. Jobs (56)
  4. Werner Enterprises Jobs (306)
  5. Lowe's Companies Jobs (101)

Which Companies Pay CDL Class A Drivers The Most?

According to our most recent salary estimates, Mid-South Management and Bob's Discount Furniture are the highest paying companies for cdl class a drivers.

How Much Do CDL Class A Drivers Make In Different Industries?

Cdl class a driver salaries can vary depending on the industry. In fact, our data shows that the transportation, retail, and hospitality industries tend to offer much higher salaries for cdl class a drivers. For example, cdl class a drivers make a whopping average salary of $57,733 while working in the transportation industry. Meanwhile, other people in this field are making $54,417 in the retail industry and $53,080 in the hospitality industry.

Cdl class a drivers may want to avoid working in the construction industry as it offers the lowest average salary of $48,426.

Highest Paying Industries For CDL Class A Drivers

RankIndustryAverage SalaryHourly Rate
1Transportation$57,733$27.76
2Retail$54,417$26.16
3Hospitality$53,080$25.52
4Manufacturing$52,626$25.30
5Construction$48,426$23.28

High Paying CDL Class A Driver Jobs

CDL Class A Driver Pay Trends

Average CDL Class A Driver Salary Over Time

Compare salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

    CDL Class A Driver Salary By Year

    YearAvg. SalaryHourly Rate% Change
    2023$52,200$25.10+4.0%
    2022$50,100$24.10+3.5%
    2021$48,400$23.26+2.7%
    2020$47,100$22.62+2.7%
    2019$45,800$22.01+2.6%

    Recently Added CDL Class A Driver Salaries

    CompanyJobLocationDate AddedSalary
    Fastrack Solutions Inc.Local CDL Class A or B Needed/Mon-Fri/Ot/Am Shift/Weekly PayHighland Park, MI05/03/2023$62,610
    Peter Smith Trucking Inc.Driver Class A CDLHerkimer, NY05/03/2023$60,000
    Us FoodsClass A Driver Trainee-NOW Accepting Recent CDL GraduatesMinneapolis, MN05/02/2023$62,610
    World OilCommercial Driver-Class A CDLPhoenix, AZ05/02/2023$49,566
    YellowClass CDL A Training!Des Moines, IA05/02/2023$60,000
    Power Vision, Inc.Home Daily Class A CDL Routes!!!Madison, AL05/02/2023$60,000
    MK LogisticsCDL Class A Semi-Local/No TouchSalt Lake City, UT05/02/2023$109,000
    Dean's DairyDriver-Class A CDLSharpsville, PA05/02/2023$70,000
    Ryder SystemClass A Truck Driver CDL Regional and LocalKinston, NC05/01/2023$79,306
    Ryder SystemClass A CDL New GraduateSpringfield, OR05/01/2023$60,001

    CDL Class A Driver Salaries FAQs

    What State Pays Cdl Class A Drivers The Most?

    North Dakota pays CDL Class A Drivers the most in the United States, with an average salary of $66,015 per year, or $31.74 per hour.

    How Do I Know If I'm Being Paid Fairly As A Cdl Class A Driver?

    You know if you are being paid fairly as a CDL Class A Driver if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in New Jersey you should be paid close to $65,468 per year.

    Do Truck Drivers Make 100k?

    Yes, truck drivers can make $100,000 a year. However, this is not a common salary for a truck driver and it generally takes many years and plenty of experience to reach this salary.

    It also means taking on leadership roles within the company that you work with, such as becoming a trainer or working as a team driver.

    Is A Class A Cdl Worth Getting?

    Yes, a Class A CDL license is worth getting. It's a great time, more than ever before, to get into a Class A CDL truck driving career, with so many jobs available.

    Holding a Class A CDL license gives you great job security. There's also a good deal of flexibility in the type of trucking job you can take. Some truckers are away for weeks at a time, while other truck drivers are home every night and weekend.

    What Cdl Driver Gets Paid The Most?

    Ice road truckers typically get paid the most of all CDL drivers. Though any job that requires more experienced CDL Drivers to haul high priority and dangerous loads will pay significantly more than other trucking jobs.

    What Is Starting Pay For Cdl Drivers?

    The starting pay for new CDL Drivers is around $40,000 annually. Entry-level positions do pay considerably less because inexperienced tractor-trailer drivers are a high risk to companies.

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