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Job outlook for cdl class a drivers in the United States
Cdl class a driver job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected cdl class a driver job growth rate is 4% from 2018-2028.
About 90,900 new jobs for cdl class a drivers are projected over the next decade.
Cdl class a driver salaries have increased 14% for cdl class a drivers in the last 5 years.
There are over 1,245,571 cdl class a drivers currently employed in the United States.
There are 696,903 active cdl class a driver job openings in the US.
The average cdl class a driver salary is $52,203.
Are cdl class a driver jobs in demand?
Cdl class a driver job and salary trends over time
Cdl class a driver jobs over time
Cdl class a driver job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,245,571 | 0.37% |
| 2020 | 1,152,492 | 0.34% |
| 2019 | 1,198,085 | 0.36% |
| 2018 | 1,148,814 | 0.35% |
| 2017 | 1,134,897 | 0.34% |
Average cdl class a driver salary over time
Cdl class a driver salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $52,203 | $25.10 | +4.1% |
| 2024 | $50,132 | $24.10 | +3.6% |
| 2023 | $48,381 | $23.26 | +2.8% |
| 2022 | $47,052 | $22.62 | +2.8% |
| 2021 | $45,790 | $22.01 | +2.7% |
Cdl class a driver jobs by state
Most common states for cdl class a drivers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 5,609 | 743% |
| 2 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 5,411 | 622% |
| 3 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 13,188 | 453% |
| 4 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 7,956 | 414% |
| 5 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 11,526 | 384% |
| 6 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 11,326 | 360% |
| 7 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 19,174 | 314% |
| 8 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 12,048 | 306% |
| 9 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 14,840 | 304% |
| 10 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 12,444 | 279% |
| 11 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 4,701 | 259% |
| 12 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 12,892 | 257% |
| 13 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 14,165 | 254% |
| 14 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 25,696 | 246% |
| 15 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 4,172 | 243% |
| 16 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 4,884 | 234% |
| 17 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 15,045 | 226% |
| 18 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 14,978 | 223% |
| 19 | Louisiana | 4,684,333 | 10,310 | 220% |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 12,231 | 211% |
Most common cities for cdl class a drivers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lansing | 12 | 10% | $57,654 |
| 2 | Atlanta | 19 | 4% | $57,271 |
| 3 | Cincinnati | 11 | 4% | $58,145 |
| 4 | Fort Wayne | 11 | 4% | $58,154 |
| 5 | Akron | 8 | 4% | $59,547 |
| 6 | Saint Louis | 10 | 3% | $53,106 |
| 7 | Indianapolis | 14 | 2% | $57,448 |
| 8 | Denver | 11 | 2% | $54,247 |
| 9 | Tampa | 9 | 2% | $52,347 |
| 10 | Dallas | 13 | 1% | $51,799 |
| 11 | Philadelphia | 12 | 1% | $62,824 |
| 12 | Phoenix | 11 | 1% | $54,248 |
| 13 | Jacksonville | 10 | 1% | $53,416 |
| 14 | Oklahoma City | 9 | 1% | $55,634 |
| 15 | Charlotte | 8 | 1% | $56,488 |
| 16 | Columbus | 8 | 1% | $58,703 |
| 17 | Chicago | 12 | 0% | $62,067 |
| 18 | Houston | 9 | 0% | $51,683 |
CDL Class A Driver job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of cdl class a driver experts
CVTA
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the CDL Class A Driver job market given the pandemic?
Don Lefeve: The market for commercial drivers should remain strong for the foreseeable future due to older driver retirements, tight capacity, and the increase of home delivery of goods resulting from COVID. COVID has resulted in fewer commercial drivers being produced in 2020, compared to 2019. It is important to note that Class A Commercial Driver's License is as much of a requirement to drive large commercial trucks as it is an excellent safety credential for those who may not drive commercial trucks.
The biggest trend currently is tight capacity. What this means is there are too few drivers willing to move goods at the requested price. This means shippers need to pay more to move goods, which in turn, results in trucking companies charging more and driver pay rises. Pay has been rising, and commercial driving is a solid foundation for a career in trucking.